Rancour
by BlueSky509
Summary: What do you do when your mother was killed by an old man and his little girl? I thought the answer would be easy, too. Revenge, as I soon discover, isn't the easiest thing to get. ElliexOC in later chapters.
1. Inheritance

**A/N: I didn't think I would be writing another Last of Us fic so soon, but here I am, giving you another taste of the organized chaos inside my head. I am excited to be writing another fic for this category, and this will be my third. I appreciate any comments, thoughts, constructive criticism, and predictions. Without further ado, I invite you to read and enjoy!**

* * *

My mother was dead. I had gone out on patrol at sunset, muttered a quick goodbye to her like every other night, and I come back at midnight to find Fireflies crowded around a corpse in the dank underground parking lot with grief, fury, and shock written across their faces. Nobody dared to look me in the eye as I roughly pushed through the conglomeration, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest as I gazed down at the dead body of my mother.

She had been shot twice, that much was obvious. Once in her abdomen and once in the head. Blood splattered my army boots as I gently laid the black plastic tarp over her, handed to me by a Firefly whose pendant claimed his name was Taylor Walters in the bright light cast by the elevator.

I rose, turning around to meet the eyes of my subordinates. I was just promoted from guard patrol to leader of the Fireflies. The two dozen or so soldiers stared back at me, awaiting orders. I'll admit, I don't have many leadership skills. I don't really have _any_ sort of skills, unless being incompetent at pretty much everything counts as a skill. I certainly don't have enough experience to lead what was left of the Fireflies. Hell, I'm barely seventeen.

My knees trembled a bit as I cleared my voice, getting everyone's attention. I'm not one for speeches, and to be honest, I just really wanted to throw up. I hate the smell of blood, and right now I was standing in a half-inch deep puddle of it. My mother's blood. My blood. It burned my throat as I inhaled, coppery and acrid.

"Marlene is dead." My tenor voice was pitifully weak, barely travelling far enough to reach the back of the group. To make matters worse, I was at that stage where my voice hadn't fully changed, so I sounded like a parrot who was trying to imitate a man and a woman at the same time. I cleared my throat again, I had to be strong. Take charge. Grab the bull by the horns.

"Marlene is dead." I could hear my louder, more authoritative tone echo off the concrete columns supporting the underground parking lot. That sounded better, but at the same time to hear myself say it…a lead weight settled on my shoulders. "I, Aaron, am your new commanding officer. Now…who killed my mother?" I could feel my voice crack, and I blamed it on my adolescence instead of the heat I felt behind my eyes.

At first, nobody spoke. They shifted uneasily, not looking at me. _Are they deaf? _I growled mentally, waiting for an answer. _No, _I realized, _they're not used to being commanded by someone half their age. _They'd better get used to it. "I said, who the fuck murdered my mother? And why?" I shouted, my reluctantly-developing adult voice ringing through the parking lot.

Someone moved beside me. I snapped my head in their direction so fast, I was afraid for a second that I was going to get whiplash. Taylor fumbled nervously with his rifle strap, his furry gray eyebrows scrunching together as his cracked lips formed words. He was clearly in dire need of a shave in my opinion. If I lived long enough to grow facial hair, I made a mental note not to cultivate a wolf-man beard like him.

"Marlene captured a man in his late forties and an immune girl, Sir." Taylor began.

Sir. Hmm. I liked the sound of that. I nodded, letting him continue.

"Long story short, this girl was very important to your mother. She could have provided us with the cure for CBI. That man that came with her…he killed our entire force here except for those you see and whoever is still alive on sentry duty. He was the one who murdered your mother." Taylor explained gruffly, scratching at his silver beard.

Everyone looked to me again, waiting for my reaction. I pursed my full lips, one of the many things I inherited from my mother. I loved my mother, as a son was obligated to, but I suppose that with a combination of teenage rebellion and a considerable lack of parental affection, I was less upset than I thought I would be. No, that wasn't it…

I was numb.

If I held like this for long enough, I could slip away and truly mourn for my mother. Just a few more minutes…I could feel my resolve crumbling. My knees felt weaker by the second. I bit the inside of my lip hard. Just a few more minutes.

"I want them found, even if I have to find this man and this girl myself. Does anyone know where they went?" My hands were shaking, I could practically feel the sweat dripping down my palms. My subordinates shook their heads, and I turned to Taylor again. He was one of my mother's good friends, an adviser at times, even. If there was anyone I could turn to, it was him.

Taylor also remorsefully shook his head, "He took a car. He's long gone by now. But I heard Marlene mention that Tommy was this man's brother. He would know where he went."

Tommy. I knew Tommy. He was a good man, sort of like an uncle to me. "Tommy left years ago." I reminded Taylor, a bitter sting mixing with the crushing grief threatening to collapse my chest. He hadn't even said goodbye to me. I suppose the affection didn't go both ways.

"Last I heard he was settled in Jackson, Wyoming. It's worth a shot, Sir." Taylor said.

"We have a plan, then. I leave at dawn." I turned on my heel, heading for the elevator.

"Sir?" My elder comrade queried. I heard equally confused muttering from the rest of the Firefly survivors.

One thing I didn't inherit from my mother: I was not dependent on others to do the dirty work for me. I didn't really even care about her cause. The way her eyes lit up at the mention of the word "vaccine" or "cure", it made me want to cringe. It was a hopeless cause, that much I knew from the start. She probably knew that deep down too, because she hadn't trained me to do shit if she ever got killed in action. I had no idea how to carry on. Honestly, I didn't want to. I didn't want to see that spark of insanity in my eyes that she had. Yes, I said it. My mother was crazy. Delusional, even. I wouldn't deny it.

"You heard me," I said calmly over my shoulder, my finger hovering over the button marked 8. "I leave alone at dawn." I pushed it, and I heard a ding as the doors slid shut. I could finally breathe.

My breath came out in a loud whoosh, accompanied by wetness falling down my cheeks and my shoulders trembling in silent sobs. My mother was dead. My mother was dead. What do you do when you find out your mother was murdered by an old man and his little girl?

I glanced at my reflection in the polished metal panel surrounding the elevator buttons. The tears made my chocolate skin darker where they had fallen. I had my mother's high cheekbones, narrow face, and curly ebony hair braided down my skull in cornrows. I had her thin, lanky arms and legs, straight nose, and my collarbones stuck out too much under my black tank top.

But I had my father's onyx-coloured eyes, tinged with just enough brown that you could separate the iris from the pupil. I had his muscled back and shoulders, his brashness, and his merciless attitude. Despite my initial shyness, I could be brutal when I had to.

This was one of those times.

I knew what I had to do. And just like my parents, I would stop at nothing until I achieved it.


	2. Plan A

I sat at my mother's-my desk, now-for…I don't know how long. I stared at the seafoam walls around me, the desk that was littered with my mother's documents, and the clock on the wall. The walls had once held laminated medical posters and calendars, judging by the tiny holes where thumb tacks once went. Rectangular spots on the walls were slightly lighter than the area surrounding them, only adding to the evidence.

Now that my mother was dead, I needed something to distract me from my grief. I rifled through the drawers beneath the desk and the filing cabinets standing by the window. It was too dark to see anything outside right now, so I didn't even bother staring melancholically out of it.

Finding nothing interesting in the filing cabinets except for more boring documents, both pre-infection and post-infection, I plopped myself back into the leather desk chair, where I opened the topmost drawer on the desk beside my right thigh. Nothing interesting revealed itself, just extra paper, pens, and a few paper clips. The top left drawer had much the same, but I raised a black eyebrow as I opened the drawer under that one. Among faded documents that must've been at least twenty years old, I spied the corner of two Polaroid photos jutting out from the bottom of the stack. I wedged them out from their hiding place, tossing them on the metal surface of the desk. Nothing seemed to be made of wood here. Wood was difficult to keep sterile, but the stench of sanitizer had long since disappeared from the office furniture around me.

The first picture was of one man who would have been my step-father one day. Tommy. He was sitting next to my mother wearing his usual ratty denim jacket and jeans, with one arm slung affectionately across her shoulders. It was weird to see both of them smiling. The background was too blurry to make out, but it was obviously Boston. I knew that because I was the one holding the camera.

I shoved that picture back into the drawer as pain shot through me. The wound was still too raw. I glanced at the second one, which made me cock my head. It depicted someone I knew vaguely, but my mother treated her as a daughter. The girl in the picture smiled back at me with green eyes and hair the colour of cranberries. Baby fat rounded out her cheeks, but she looked at least twelve or thirteen in that picture. I estimated she would be fourteen or fifteen by now. We had seen each other so sporadically that if I hadn't seen her labelled picture, I wouldn't have recognized her if I saw her.

_Ellie…_

A spike of jealousy arced down my spine. My mother treated this girl as her own more than she did her son. I hadn't known her well, and one day last year she just packed up and left. Then I made the journey to Salt Lake City with my mother and the other Fireflies. With Ellie absent, I had expected more attention from my mother, but by then she had already started getting a bit delusional.

I carelessly tossed the photo back with the other one, slamming the drawer shut with my knee as I heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" I yelled, and I leaned back in my leather chair as Taylor stepped in. He had that sympathetic look on his face like he had just killed a cute bunny rabbit.

"You alright, son?" Taylor spoke cautiously, hovering by the door as he shut it. It was clear to me that he wanted to talk heart-to-heart, not superior-to-subordinate.

I nodded slowly. I had stopped crying about a half hour ago, but I wasn't finished wallowing in my own grief yet.

Taylor fiddled with his fingers, looking unsure of how to continue. I waited patiently, propping my legs up on the desk. It was something my mother would have scolded me for, but now there was nobody to tell me how to act. I could do whatever I wanted. I wasn't used to that kind of freedom.

Finally, the old man sighed. The lines deepened on his face, making him look ten years older. "Are you sure about this…revenge trip of yours? It seems a little brash." He said, picking his head up and looking me in the eye.

I glanced down at the silver surface of the desk, biting my lip. I had spent an hour in here, as declared by the clock; half of it I used up crying and the other half plotting my revenge. It was hardly brash. "I spent some time thinking about it…I want as much information on this man and his girl as possible. I'm still leaving at dawn, if you're wondering." I said determinedly, lacing my fingers together.

"I understand you're angry and grieving, but going on a hare-brained trip to kill these people isn't going to bring your mother back," Taylor explained evenly, "so I don't see the point in it. Say you kill these guys, then what? What good would it do you?"

I resisted the urge to snap back at him. I kept my expression calm, even though I was snarling and gnashing my teeth inside. "You don't get it. I need closure. I need to see these people dead in order to move on. If you won't help me, then I'd appreciate it if you left my office." I lifted my gaze to meet his clear blue eyes, the only youthful feature on Taylor's face.

"I've felt the same way you have many times, Aaron. And every time is no different than the first. You don't stop thinking about her. Revenge isn't as sweet as it's made out to be. You just have to let it go and move on to the next thing. The Fireflies need a leader, not an angst-ridden boy who doesn't know how to move on." I wanted Taylor to be angry at me; shouting would have been better than the infuriatingly sagely tone he was still using. I didn't need anyone's damn sympathy. I wanted death.

That snarling and gnashing thing inside me reared its ugly head. I stood up so fast it made my head spin for a second as my lips curled back in fury. "You have no fucking idea how I feel! I want to see that man and girl dead at my feet with their throats cut! They deserve to feel the pain they're putting me through, and then some!" I bellowed, my voice cracking. My shoulders trembled as I seethed, glaring at Taylor who placidly stood his ground, not even the tiniest bit afraid of me.

Taylor picked up the conversation as if I had never lashed out at him. I couldn't say I was surprised, I mean this man had crossed the country with my mother and me, and had been with the Fireflies since they had been founded 21 years ago. "That girl you want to kill is Ellie."

He said it like it would change my mind. It didn't, but it made me raise an eyebrow. "Ellie killed my mother?"

"No," Taylor shook his head, "she was anesthetized when I saw that man carrying her out of the surgery room to the elevator. It's that man you want to kill, not her."

"So…I find Ellie, I find my mother's murderer. Do you know where he drove off to with that car?" I asked, calming down enough to sit again. We didn't have many working cars, so I noticed when one was missing down in the underground parking lot.

Taylor glanced contemplatively up at the ceiling, then at me. "I don't, but there's only one usable road out of here. That's Interstate 15, so I guess you could start there. Why don't you want to take anyone else with you? The rest of us want to see that man dead, too."

I shook my head. "This is something I need to do alone. The less people, the less trouble and the less time wasted." I replied curtly, watching Taylor intently as he nodded.

"Fair enough. I'm coming with you," he said with finality, "You need at least one other person to watch your back, don't you?"

I almost laughed. "No offence, old man, but you're not exactly my first choice. I need someone who can run without attracting Infected a mile away with his wheezing."

"I will have you know, I am only 45 years old. I don't have arthritis and I can shoot better than anyone in this damn hospital. You know I was your mother's right-hand man." Taylor puffed his chest out haughtily, throwing me a glare for calling him old. That did get a little smirk out of me, I'll admit. Taylor always knew how to cheer me up, more than Tommy did.

"Well then, as my mother's right-hand man, you must know something about her murderer. Other than him being Tommy's brother, obviously." I assumed, getting right back to business.

"I only overheard his name was Joel. If he took Ellie here, well I think you can figure out the rest." Taylor shrugged, allowing me to put the pieces together.

It didn't take me long, but the realization was sickening all the same. I felt my stomach churn as I said, "Ellie's the immune girl. I wondered why Mom didn't take her with us…she just said she was going to meet us here," _Of course…Mom likes to have people do the dirty work for her. She hired somebody else._

"Why did she hire Tommy's brother? Wouldn't Ellie have been safer with all of us?" I looked at Taylor, my eyes questioning.

"I guess your mother didn't think so. But then again, Joel wasn't _supposed _to take her all the way across the country in the first place. Remember that party that your mother sent out back in Boston that never came back?" Taylor paused as I nodded, "That was the party that was supposed to meet up with us and bring Ellie."

I frowned. "So Joel took her here and then changed his mind, killed my mother, and drove off with Ellie."

"In a nutshell, yes," Taylor mused, "He didn't want to let her go. Are you going to bring her back here?" There was a note of hope in his tone that made me wince. How could I tell him the Fireflies' cause was finished?

I stared down at the desk again, letting out a long breath. "I don't know…Joel killed the surgeons, and we don't even know if we can get a vaccine out of Ellie. My mother was willing to sacrifice her…and she loved her more than me. It just seems so twisted." Mom cared more about a one in a million chance of reverse-engineering a vaccine than she did about the girl she thought of as her daughter. I never liked Ellie that much, but I wasn't going to do the same thing to her. Even if I wanted to, I didn't have the means.

"But we've got to _try_, Aaron! It's still possible! You're just going to throw away everything your mother's worked for in the past twenty years? Now _that's _twisted." Taylor stared incredulously at me, the same way I had stared at my mother sometimes when I heard her ranting on about finding a cure.

I scoffed, my lips curling further into the frown etched on my face. "You sound like my mother," I growled, "We don't have any more surgeons, Taylor. We can't find any more. I won't bring Ellie back here. I'll go to Jackson, I'll find Tommy, and then I'll kill Joel. No more questions. Get out of my office."

Taylor saluted with a sour expression on his face. "Very well, Sir. I'm still coming with you." He was out the door before I could curl my fingers around my stapler and throw it at him.

I'll admit, I was kind of glad I had someone to look out for me. Even if it was someone as persistently annoying as Taylor. He made me realize there were people here who still acknowledged my existence and cared about what happened to me. I don't know if it was out of obligation to my mother that he was going with me or if he generally cared about me, but it didn't really matter.

Now that I had a clear path in my head, I could finally stop mulling over everything and rest. The analog clock on the wall said it was 2:05 in the morning. Groaning softly, I shuffled out of the office and into the dark corridor. I saw the narrow beams of flashlight-mounted scopes down at the other end of the wide, musty-smelling hallway, strewn with overturned desks and gurneys at regular intervals. Patrols would be sparse, but on high-alert tonight.

I opened another door that allowed me to enter into my "bedroom". It was just a room with two hospital beds and faded posters warning against the dangers of not sanitizing after using the bathroom. Another poster advertised some kind of vaccine for the flu, but I've read it so many times that I didn't even look at it as I curled up in my hospital bed, kicking off my army boots as I tugged the covers back.

I didn't expect to slip into my dream world so easily, but I knew that I did because I saw my deceased mother in it, and I felt her arms around me.

I knew I was dreaming because I felt safe.

**A/N: I know this was mostly talking, but it's important for plot/character development. Anyway, let me know what you think, and any predictions or suggestions that you may have. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Adrenaline Junkie

"Can I drive?" I asked hopefully as I tossed mine and Taylor's backpacks in the back seat of the navy SUV.

I watched Taylor chuckle and shake his head, to which I responded with a whiny, "Aww, come on! I've driven a military truck back in Boston, it's not like a car is any different!"

Taylor raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Was that the same military truck somebody stole and made two squads of angry soldiers attack us last year?"

I jammed my hands into the front pockets of my jeans, averting my gaze as I felt the heat of embarrassment flush my cheeks. I shut my mouth and slammed the car door shut. The sound echoed off the concrete pillars in the dank underground parking lot, which earned me a stern glare from Taylor that silently told me to stop acting like a little kid. I returned it with twice the harshness as I made my way to the passenger seat.

We didn't speak as we pulled out of the underground, coming out onto the I-15 going north. The car bumped along the uneven highway, flattening any overgrown weeds and grass poking through the cracks in the pavement. I gazed out over Salt Lake City as we drove on the overpass, the rising sun reflecting soft dawn light off the clumps of tall glass buildings of the city.

It was sort of pretty from here, with orange streaking across the tops of buildings, as if the sun were trying to light them like matchsticks. I could see the overgrowth on different dilapidated office buildings from here, towering vines snaking up brick walls, taking over what was rightfully theirs. I was pulled out of admiring the cityscape by Taylor's raspy voice.

"Maybe once we get onto open highway, I'll let you drive for a bit. It's a solid five hour ride by car, so let's hope the gas tank holds out for that long." The old man offered, pushing stray silver hairs away from his face with one hand.

I nodded, smirking a little. It was a small victory, but I guess he was being easy on me because of Mom. I cradled my head with my elbow as I resumed drinking in every detail of the disappearing downtown core of Salt Lake City, my eyes gradually drooping shut as concrete turned to conifers.

* * *

Somebody was shaking my shoulder. Roughly, I might add. As I yawned and stretched my arms over my head, I noticed that I didn't feel the lulling bump of car tires over cracks. We had stopped. I heard a car door slam, jolting the last bit of sleep clinging to my body. My neck was sore from being propped up against the window for God-knows-how-long, and I heard the vertebrae make a satisfying _crick _as I rolled my neck from side to side.

"You awake, Aaron? We gotta move." I heard Taylor call from outside the car, and I opened the passenger door, stumbling a few steps as my body remembered what standing was.

"What's wrong?" I mumbled groggily as the silver-haired man shoved my backpack to my chest. I squinted at the sun to check the time, and estimated that it was probably around nine or ten o'clock. We had only been driving for about three hours.

Taylor didn't answer for a moment as he scanned his surroundings like a buck on high alert. I also fed off the tension in his body, my own going rigid as I took in the battered "Welcome to Soda Springs" sign a few feet away on the side of the road. The wind tousled my hair; I made a mental note to re-braid it when I got the chance. Otherwise, the streets around me were eerily silent.

Soda Springs, I expertly noted, was one of those middle-of-nowhere places where nothing usually happened. It would have been a quaint, sleepy little town if half the houses hadn't been invaded and occupied by their front lawns or charred in long-dead fires. Some portions of houses were completely missing, and I wondered if the residents had somehow gotten hold of grenades, because only explosives could cause that much damage to a house.

I shouldered my backpack as Taylor motioned for me to follow him, his gaze constantly sweeping the deserted street in front of us for danger. I pulled the Magnum .22 pistol from my pack, as well as a handful of extra bullets. Every nerve in my body was on high alert, ready to kick in at the slightest sign of Infected or Hunters. It had been a while since I had shot somebody, but I wasn't out of practice.

After a few minutes of hearing the wind make the branches of trees whisper behind our backs and exposed wood creak in the empty houses, I came to the conclusion that nothing was going to jump out and attack us. I allowed my iron grip on my Magnum to loosen the tiniest fraction, and Taylor gestured to the right as he crept up the front porch of a relatively intact, white-paneled bungalow with red shutters. He made no sound as he inched up the stairs, while they squeaked with every step for me.

I was continually impressed with the old man's agility as he lithely hopped through the shattered front window, but when I tried to imitate him, my foot got caught on the window sill and I ended up with a face full of threadbare, moth-eaten burgundy carpet. I quickly recovered from my graceful face-plant as Taylor hauled me to my feet, giving me that stern glare again.

I rolled my eyes, shouldering past him to inspect the black and white linoleum-tiled kitchen. I rifled through any cabinets that didn't have the doors ripped off, finding only a meager roll of duct tape and a can of beans. Shrugging, I shoved the items into my pack.

I heard Taylor's boots thud on the linoleum behind me as he strode off to inspect the first bedroom. Taking his lead, I went to scavenge in the second. I eased past the door pistol-first, but put the safety back on when I realized nothing was going to eat me. The room was obviously a girl's-faded, peeling, pink floral wallpaper, a tattered blanket with a blonde princess staring back at me, one blue eye eaten away by moths. I kept an eye on Cyclops Princess as I checked the nightstand beside the four-poster bed for supplies. Finding nothing, I met up with Taylor again as we exited the house.

"We don't really need anything, can't we just go back to the car? This place is creeping me out…" I shivered despite the sweat accumulating on the back of my neck. It wasn't even noon and I was overheating in my army tank top and beige camouflage pants. I had left my Firefly pendant at the hospital-I didn't want to be reminded of the people I wanted to leave behind.

Taylor's lips formed a hard line. "The car battery's dead, and I doubt we'll be finding another one. We'll have to make our way by foot from here. How much food did you bring with you?" He asked gruffly, checking his own pack to take stock of his supplies.

"A few granola bars and a can of peaches. I brought some beef jerky, too. Oh, and I found a can of beans in that house." I replied, but I frowned when Taylor shook his head in disappointment. _Does this man ever approve of anything I do? _I mentally sighed as I continued to follow him to the next house.

"Didn't your mother teach you anything about being prepared? You've always got to have enough food to last three days. Yours might last two, at most. Lucky for you I brought four cans of pineapples." Taylor huffed, slinging his pack over his shoulder.

This time I sighed out loud. "Honestly, I expected to be back by tomorrow. I had no idea our car would go on permanent strike and we would have to hike our asses through the mountains of Idaho and Wyoming." I drawled, plodding along after Taylor like a colt following its dam.

Taylor threw me a condescending look that implied he seriously questioned how Mom ever put up with me. We searched a few houses until Taylor was satisfied with our haul, which meant that we could finally move along and get out of this disturbingly quiet town.

The wind prodded me forward again, pushing at my back between my shoulder blades the same way a Boston soldier did with the barrel of his rifle. I glanced up at the sky again to see an angry-looking front rolling in from the East. Taylor mimicked my movement, the corners of his lips curling into a frown again.

He spoke what I was thinking. "It's gonna rain hard tonight…I think we should find a place to camp at the other end of town. What do you say, boy?" Taylor threw a glance over his shoulder at me.

I shrugged casually, still keeping my eyes trained on that front. It split the sky in half, making one side clear, blue, and happy while the other looked as depressed as I felt. I didn't mind the rain, but I wasn't a fan of hypothermia. We ambled along the grass-covered sidewalk, and my stomach growled for attention after another block. Remembering I forwent breakfast, I chewed on a granola bar since Taylor didn't seem inclined to make conversation.

I suddenly bumped nose-first into Taylor's back as he inexplicably halted, but before I could complain and rub my nose, he ushered me into the nearest house. Part of the front of the beige house was blown out, and splintered wood snapped under my feet as I took cover behind the shredded couch, but not before I tripped at least twice climbing the porch steps.

I scanned the street, my heart in my throat as I heard Taylor breathing beside me. Then I heard it. The unmistakable clop of horse hooves. And not just one horse, but two. I peeked over the top of the green piece of furniture, and I noticed that the tears looked mysteriously like bullet holes. That only made my heart pound faster as I squinted to make out the two hulking figures approaching us from the other end of the street.

They were three blocks away, then two, and then one. I glanced helplessly at Taylor, who hadn't moved an inch the whole time I watched the horses come closer. I was no horse expert, but one was completely copper-coloured and the other had fur the same hue as Taylor's beard, but it looked like someone had flicked dots of black paint along its sides.

I finally understood why there were no Infected around. Not only did these guys, and whoever was with them, have horses, but they were also loaded with guns, machetes, and whatever weapons were in the horses' saddlebags. I suppressed a whimper. How could the two of us, with just pistols and one rifle, handle mounted Hunters with three times the firepower?

"I coulda sworn I saw something down this way, Graham." One Hunter scratched the back of his head, turning his copper horse around in a circle. I spied a baseball bat strapped to the back of the saddle and I huddled closer to Taylor.

"Probably just some squirrels, Steve. Or raccoons. You know how they like to scavenge in the houses." The sloppy-looking one I assumed was Graham replied.

His equally unkempt friend Steve dismounted his horse, readjusting the tattered black beanie on his greasy, sand-coloured head. Neither of them looked older than thirty, I guessed. Steve narrowed his eyes as he knelt by the porch steps. I held my breath.

"Hey, Graham? I don't think squirrels have access to granola bars in the Idaho forest." Steve frowned, picking up the half-eaten snack I must have dropped from the porch step. Graham cocked his rifle in reply, hopping off his black-dotted horse.

"Alright, the jig's up. We know you're hiding." Graham called out in a voice that I caught a hint of glee in. I looked at Taylor, who had sweat running down his lined face. It was the first time I had seen him look terrified out of his wits. I quickly ran through my options. There weren't many. Either we fight our way out and steal the horses or we surrender and let them shoot us.

I wanted to take the chance and catch the Hunters by surprise, even if they had bullet-proof vests on over their tattered hoodies. The adrenaline pumping through my veins told me I could. Apparently Taylor had other plans.

"Don't shoot." The old man said as he slowly rose from behind the couch. I did the same, raising my hands in surrender. Disbelief flooded me, but I kept my poker face. Steve trained his pistol on me as he and Graham inspected us.

"What's your business here in Soda Springs?" Asked Graham, like he was trying to make polite conversation. I didn't know why he was delaying in killing us. We had technically just robbed three of their houses.

I heard Taylor gulp, and I hoped they didn't hear. "My boy and I are just passing through, that's all. We'll be out of your hair if you just let us cross town." Taylor explained calmly, but I could hear the undercurrent of fear in the gruffness.

Steve cocked his head, giving us a quizzical once-over. I knew why. Taylor was pale as flour and I…well, I wasn't. I could tell neither of them bought it. I was glad Taylor hadn't worn his Firefly uniform today, otherwise we would already be dead.

"Where'd you come from?" Graham questioned.

"Blackfoot, in the Northwest." I lied, and I took pride in the fact that I sounded more confident than Taylor. At least I had inherited my mother's coolness under pressure.

Steve and Graham shared a look. "Were you with that man and his ginger girl that came through a while back?" The latter queried again, his rifle's aim never leaving Taylor's forehead.

My ears perked up. _Ellie and Joel were here?_ I thought excitedly, and I nodded vigorously before I could stop myself. "Yeah, they were part of our group and we got separated. If you could tell us where they went, that would be a great help." I smiled eagerly.

"Ooh, sorry man. I can't say for sure. I only know you won't be finding out." Steve sneered, cocking his pistol. I would curse my naïveté later. He and Graham opened fire as Taylor and I dove behind the couch for protection again. I whipped out my Magnum, returning fire and scoring a hit on Steve. I blew off his beanie, along with parts of his skull. I may have been a useless negotiator, but I was a decent shot.

I heard an agonized cry from Graham as he crumpled to the ground with a chunk of his shoulder shot off, and Taylor quickly ended his suffering with a merciless bullet to the head. He dragged me behind him as I heard shouts from up the street, and I scrambled onto the copper horse as Taylor heaved himself into the saddle of the black-speckled one.

I've never ridden a horse before, but it wasn't difficult to figure out. I dug my heels in, lurching back in the saddle as the horse picked up a canter, following Taylor as he loped down one of the side streets. My heart threatened to burst out of my ribcage at this point, and I was running purely on adrenaline as I heard shots ring out from the roofs of nearby houses. Taylor turned again, his horse's hooves kicking gravel in my face as we rounded another bend a yard down the street. The Hunters were a blur of flashing barrels on rooftops and from inside houses, but I didn't care. I just urged my horse faster.

We were almost at the town's edge when I heard the low rumble of thunder from that sky-cleaving front I forgot about. I felt a fat droplet splash across my nose, and more followed in its wake. The wind gusted with a newfound fierceness, as if encouraged by its entourage of foreboding, malicious storm clouds.

I threw a worried glance at Taylor in front of me, as if he could see my concerned expression. He didn't seem to think he was in the clear, and neither did I. We weren't far enough away from town yet to look for shelter.

My horse's mane slipped in my cramped fingers as my hair became plastered to my neck from the rain, and I could tell my horse liked the ill-timed storm just as much as I did. I had a hard time keeping control of its head because all it wanted to do yank the reins from my slick hands. Taylor and I galloped by promising barns and farmhouses, but I only stopped when he did.

It was only when I didn't see the houses of Soda Springs anymore that I finally heard the rhythm of Taylor's horse's hooves slow. He glanced at me over his shoulder, his silver hair a dark gray patch on his head. His beard was a tangled, hairy waterfall that moved as he spoke, but I didn't hear him over the pounding rain. My fingers had lost feeling some time ago, and unlike Taylor, my rain jacket was bunched up in my soaked backpack. It felt like a lead weight on my shoulders.

My shoulders couldn't stop shaking as I slipped from my horse's saddle, but I didn't remember giving my body permission to dismount the horse. My mind was sluggish, and the parts of my brain that controlled my body were useless-my limbs were too numb from the cold to respond. That confused my exhausted brain because I could have sworn I was sweating an hour ago.

I heard someone shouting my name, and the clopping of hooves on wet pavement, but I was too far gone to respond. My head ached-a sure sign my adrenaline high was wearing off. Black dots danced at the edges of my vision before consuming it completely.


	4. Hunted

**A/N: Thank you to all who have reviewed and read so far! I really appreciate the kind words and critiques! Please continue to help me better my writing! I know I forgot to mention this, but I do not own The Last of Us. I own only Aaron, Taylor, and the rest of my OC's listed on my profile. Enjoy!**

* * *

The first thing I was aware of was voices. Well, one voice. The second was my pounding head. The third was the sweet scent of hay in my nostrils and warmth enveloping me. I focused with difficulty on the voice through the fog in my mind, where each beat of my heart sounded like cannon fire in my ears, leaving only more smoke to cloud my thought process. I kept my eyes closed, tuning in like Taylor used to tune the radio to communicate with Fireflies in other Quarantine Zones.

All I heard was indistinct, female humming. She was young, I determined from her high-pitched alto. She was absently trying (and failing) to imitate an electric guitar, and I heard shuffling of feet accompanying her off-key rock song. If I listened hard enough, I could hear her breathing. No other voices came to my ears, my so I decided we were alone. It was safe to open my eyes.

A shaft of dusty sunlight hit my retinas straight-on, and I let out a weak groan as my headache worsened. I rubbed the burning sensation and sleep from my eyes as I propped myself up on my elbow. A threadbare, gray blanket fell away from my shoulders as I glanced around for the owner of the voice.

A bobbing head of red hair surfaced over the flank of my copper horse, and I found it amusing that it was the same shade as my horse's mane. I didn't know why, but it made me crack a smirk. Then it disappeared as a sense of panic gnawed at my growling stomach.

"What're you doing to my horse?" I demanded as fiercely as one recovering from hypothermia could. It sounded more like a series of noisy coughs. My throat was as rough as Taylor's voice and dryer than the stale hay beneath me.

The girl popped her head up, alert and stiff as a meerkat. Her eyes met mine, and they were the colour of the pine trees I fell asleep to watching rush by in a blur outside my car window. Her pink lips curled up into a sneer as she retorted, "I'm just brushing your horse, dumbass. No need to fucking yell at me."

I let out a snort, crossing my aching legs underneath me. I let the dizzy spell pass before I ducked my head. I didn't realize I was being so loud. "Sorry…I didn't mean to." I lifted my gaze again, and this time the girl didn't look mad at me. I knew when someone else had the authority, even if it was someone younger than me. I had been beat into submission enough times by my father to know not to disobey authority, no matter who had it.

"Hey, haven't I seen you before? You look familiar." The redhead narrowed her eyes at me, stepping out from behind the horse and putting the brush on the rotted piece of wood that constituted one side of a low stall. We were definitely in a barn.

"I've seen you before, too. Your name's Ellie. You used to hang out with Riley, didn't you?" I said, biting my lip as I caught her wince. Riley must be a sensitive subject. For some reason it didn't feel right to brand myself as Marlene's son. From the gleam in her eyes, I could tell she didn't know about her death yet. She didn't have that same dimness in her eyes that I did.

"Yeah…not anymore. You used to run with Tino's gang. You were the pan-the quiet guy." Ellie corrected herself, but not fast enough that I didn't notice. _Pansy. _I mentally finished for her. We were all friends with Riley, but I was never exactly the sociable one. In fact, I was the group's punching bag, despite where I came from. Being Marlene's son wasn't a good thing around Non-Fireflies. Riley was a Firefly for a short time, but then she wasn't. Mom never told me what happened to her, and I never asked. She was more Tino's friend, not mine.

"Yeah, Aaron the Quiet Guy. That would be me. Reserved to the point of being antisocial." I snickered a little at that last one, and Ellie joined in. "If I remember correctly, you were kinda quiet around us, too. I mean you talked to us, but…" I trailed off as another dizzy spell made my head spin.

Ellie scuffed the hay-covered floor with the heel of her worn-out sneaker. "Riley did most of the talking…"

I shook my head, chuckling a little. "On the contrary, I've heard you make obscenities that would put Robert and his cronies to shame."

Ellie arched an eyebrow, stretching the line of a healed scar that cleaved it in two. "Who's Robert?" Her small smile indicated to me that she appreciated the compliment, though.

"Oh, he's…he was just some smuggler my mom knew. He's dead now." I mumbled. It still hurt to mention Mom.

"Wait…if you're out here, then shouldn't we have seen Marlene by now? Why were you running away from Hunters with that old guy?" Damn, she remembered who my mother was. I didn't want to tell her she was dead and that I was out to kill Joel because of it, but then again there wasn't a reason I _shouldn't _tell her. Marlene was closer to her heart than mine. She deserved to know. At least about her surrogate mother's death, anyway.

I opened my mouth to answer, but then the barn door creaked open. Sunlight poured through the new opening, revealing more dust dancing in the still air. The refreshing smell of damp earth and new life wafted in with the extra light, carrying in birdsong with it. Taylor stepped in, followed closely by a black-haired, grizzly-looking man I could only assume was Joel. Fury burned inside me as it had that night when I vowed I would kill my mother's murderer. I threw an accusatory glare at Taylor, silently asking him why he hadn't killed the man behind him yet.

Taylor returned it with that look he gave me whenever I was being impatient. He continued with his conversation with Joel like nothing had passed between us. "Thanks again for taking us in, Joel. I know Aaron appreciates it, _right_ boy?" His clipped, yet still casual, tone made me nod grudgingly in agreement. I suppose I owed my life to Joel and Ellie, and it just made me loathe them more.

I wondered if Joel knew I was Marlene's son. Or that Taylor was her right-hand man. If he did, I probably wouldn't be alive right now. I decided to keep it that way, for now. I just hoped Ellie wouldn't blab it to him and make him shoot me in the head. I was torn from my reverie as said girl placed a water bottle in front of me. "Thanks." I muttered tersely, taking a few gulps to soothe my dry throat.

A crease formed between Ellie's red eyebrows at my sudden iciness, but said nothing as she took a seat on the opposite side of the ring of chipped bricks with nothing but ashes in it. Joel sat down beside her, and I forced myself not to look at him. If I did, I wouldn't be able to hold myself back. This wasn't the right time, not when I wasn't at full strength and unarmed. Still, I bristled, keeping my glare on the dead embers.

"So Aaron, Ellie tells me you were friends back in Boston. How'd you end up here?" I could sense the suspicion in Joel's gravelly tone, like he wanted a second opinion on the story Taylor probably told him. I had no idea what he told him, so I looked to him for help.

"As I said last night, we're from Blackfoot. We came here looking for supplies, but then those Hunters back there jumped us." Taylor provided for me, and I silently thanked him for the lead.

"Yeah," I continued seamlessly, the lie flowing smoothly from my lips, "Our car broke down and we escaped with these horses. How'd you guys end up here?" I preferred to avoid the question of Boston until I came up with something that wouldn't get me shot at point blank.

Joel chuckled at something before he spoke, but it was the kind that accompanied an unwelcome memory. "Bastards shot the gas tank of our car, and we pulled over here. Then that storm came in, and you guys showed up. I guess now that you're awake, we can get moving again." He said as I watched him dig dirt from underneath his fingernails. I resisted the urge to grind my teeth. I didn't want to hear his voice, I only wanted to see his blood. As if sensing my roiling anger, Taylor placed a can of pineapples in front of me to distract me. Or maybe he did it because he heard my stomach complaining? I didn't care. I nibbled on the sweet fruit, throwing him a grateful glance.

I ate while Taylor and Joel saddled up the horses. My headache subsided by then, and I wobbled only slightly as I stood up. I saw Ellie eyeing my horse, inspecting it like she thought it was a new, unknown species, or something.

"I think I'll name you…Callus the Second. Yep. Callus II it is." Ellie decided, flipping the reins over the horse's head. I gave her a quizzical look, and I saw Joel roll his eyes as he led Taylor's horse to the barn door. He said nothing, so I decided not to question Ellie's choice of horse names, either. Though curiosity gnawed at me, I opted for the safer option of not asking how the first Callus died. I strode out into the full sunshine, feeling the warmth envelop me like the blanket. Taylor tossed me my pack, and I put my arms through the straps as he checked his horse's cinch before mounting. I clambered on behind him as Ellie mounted behind Joel.

"Where are we going?" I asked as if I didn't know.

Joel shot me a confused glance. "Who says you're coming with us?" The lines on his face deepened as he said it, and I judged he was Taylor's age, if not older.

"I don't know," I remarked sarcastically, "we're going in the same direction, at the same pace, at the same time."

Joel glanced over his shoulder as Ellie whispered something to him. I was too far away to hear it, but I eventually heard a defeated sigh come from the black-haired man. In the sunlight, I noticed wisps of gray around his ears.

"Fine. I guess you can come along. But wouldn't you rather go back to Blackfoot? You never told us how you ended up there if you came all the way from Boston." That suspicion was back in Joel's voice, and I wracked my mind for a cover-up.

"We defected from the Fireflies in Salt Lake City a few months ago. Couldn't stand those self-righteous, delusional assholes anymore. Plus, Blackfoot's not…inhabitable anymore. Too few of us and too many Infected." I said with enough venom to make it sound believable. Those "self-righteous, delusional assholes" were my comrades and family, but now I wasn't even sure if there was any meaning to the name "Fireflies" anymore. We were just a bunch of survivors chasing after a cause that was truly hopeless now with Marlene dead and Ellie gone.

Joel stared at me for a second before appearing to accept my story. I could tell he didn't entirely believe me, but it was plausible enough that he didn't press the subject. "We're heading up north to Jackson, Wyoming. It's a safe place I've been to before." Joel finally answered my first question, and Ellie seemed to perk up at the mention of Jackson. Her eyes seemed to light up again and I wondered if she had someone there waiting for her.

For some reason, another spike of jealousy pricked me, but it wasn't as bad as the one I felt when I thought of Mom picking her over me.

We rode in amiable silence for about a quarter of a mile, with nothing but flat, brownish-green expanses on either side. I could see mountains in the distance, blue with snow-capped peaks. "Why's it so flat?" I pondered aloud, breaking our companionable silence.

"There used to be farmer's fields here. People would grow corn, wheat, all sorts of stuff and sell it." Taylor answered without looking at me from over his shoulder. Ellie nodded in agreement, and I assumed she had heard the explanation from Joel at one point.

As I examined the fields with more scrutiny, I could make out perfectly straight rows where plants once grew. However, I saw no walls or fences. "Weren't they worried about people stealing their crops? It seems pretty dumb not to have an electrified fence surrounding your livelihood." I snorted derisively.

This time Ellie answered. "People didn't need to steal food, not if they had money. They could just go to the grocery store and buy it. They didn't have to go hunting, either. Must have been fucking nice, not having to hunt your own food…" She seemed proud to know more about the pre-infection world than I did, but maybe I was just imagining the haughtiness in her voice. I was still tired and feeling a bit woozy. I let my eyes flutter shut as I rested my head against Taylor's backpack.

* * *

"Aaron, wake up, boy." I felt Taylor nudge me with his elbow, and I groaned irritably in response. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter.

I felt a sharp jab to my ribs, and I jolted awake. Rule Number One with Taylor: Never make him repeat himself. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and gave a wide yawn. The sun was setting in the west, painting the sparse clouds purple and pink and the rest of the sky orange. We seemed to be in a sort of clearing on the side of the road, and instead of grass beneath my horse's feet, there was just sand and dirt with a few weeds mixed in. Further inland was a steep ridge guarded by a thick wall of trees.

Joel and Ellie were already dismounted, the latter searching for some rocks to make a fire pit. I slipped off Callus II, wincing as pain shot through my thighs. I grit my teeth at the condescending glance from Taylor as he hopped off the horse and loosened the animal's cinch. I wasn't supposed to show pain, especially not in front of enemies.

Pretty soon we had a decent fire going, and I opened the can of beans I had found the day before. Ellie gave me a weird look as I dug into the cold beans with a fork. "What?" I snapped, annoyed to have my dinner interrupted.

Ellie shrugged, piercing a piece of pineapple with her fork. "Beans are better when they're cooked over the fire."

I arched a dark eyebrow, shoving another forkful into my mouth before nestling the can among the embers. As I waited for my can of beans to cook, a mouth-watering aroma started to come from it. It only made me more impatient, which meant I got snappier. I glanced across the fire pit again to see that Ellie was still looking at me weird, from beneath her eyelashes.

"_Why _do you keep looking at me like that?" I growled, dangerously enough to earn a warning glance from Joel. I ignored him.

"You remind me of a friend of mine." She mused, completely unaffected by my intimidation tactic. I supposed she had seen enough scary things to not be afraid of ill-tempered teenage boys.

That caught my attention. I decided to bite, just to distract myself from the emptiness clawing at my stomach. "Who? Riley?"

Ellie shook her head. A sadness settled over her, and I noticed Joel's shoulders tense. "No…while we were on the road a while back, we met up with these guys named Sam and Henry. Sam was my age, and he kind of looked like you, except without the cornrows." I could tell by the way she winced at these guys' names that something bad must have happened to them. They probably died, I guessed. Or got infected and then died. That's how people usually passed on nowadays. No dying peacefully from old age, and no funerals.

"Oh, well…I'm not this Sam kid, so don't treat me like him." I said, picking the hot, bubbling can of beans from the fire. I set it on the ground beside me, stirring it with my fork while it cooled. The corner of Ellie's mouth twitched as if she wanted to frown, but her lips remained a hard line.

After a few minutes of silence I scooped the last forkful of warm beans into my mouth, feeling my irritability disappearing. I felt much better when I wasn't shivering and my temper didn't flare at a single word. I picked my head up as I noticed something bright flickering in the twilight down the road. Faint hoofbeats reached my ears. Taylor followed my gaze and his clear, blue eyes went wide. He suddenly stood up and snuffed out the fire with a few swift kicks.

"What is it?" Joel asked as he squinted into the darkness. He produced a revolver from his pocket and checked the bullets inside.

"Probably those Hunters looking for us. We've gotta move." Taylor said curtly as he shoved his can and fork into his pack. He loaded his black pistol with a fresh cartridge, and I pulled out my Magnum. My adrenaline was up again, and I could feel my heart racing in my ears as the hoofbeats grew louder. Taylor yanked on my arm, and I scrambled onto Callus II as Joel pulled Ellie onto the speckled horse.

We didn't even get to the treeline before we heard gunshots. Callus II threw his head up, but Taylor urged him into a canter, making a beeline for the trees. I clung as hard as I could to his shoulders, digging my fingernails in. I heard a bullet whistle past me as we sped by a pile of rotted logs, and suddenly I was flying.

I hit the ground hard, crying out in pain as I felt something stab my left shoulder. It wasn't a bullet, but it was sharp. A tree branch, maybe. I didn't have time to check as I picked myself up from the ground. I felt warmth and wetness trickling down my arm as I rushed over to Taylor, who was crumpled on the ground as Callus II was caught by Joel.

"Taylor?" I shook his shoulder, praying that he only had his eyes closed because he was knocked out. I felt heat behind my eyes, but I wasn't crying yet. Taylor stirred, giving a weak moan. Blood ran in an oozing stream down the side of his head.

The old man feebly grasped my hand, fluttering his eyes open. Relief flooded through me. "Run…I'll say hi to Marlene for you." He said between gasps of air, and I vigorously shook my head. Before I could reply, I felt someone pick me up and plop me on Callus II. Ellie joined me, shouting protests as Joel tried to calm her down. He was limping as he attempted to keep the horse from bolting, clenching one hand around his noseband.

The Hunters were coming closer. I heard them whooping and cheering, and I counted three men on three horses. The thundering hooves made my headache come back.

"I'll distract these bastards, and you and Aaron ride as far north as you can. I'll join up with you later." Joel briefed us.

"I'm not fucking leaving you, Joel!" Ellie said determinedly, firing several shots at the approaching horses. I saw one man fall, slamming headfirst into the ground with a bone-shattering crunch. The cheering turned to angry swearing.

Joel gave her a meaningful look, breathing hard. I wondered how much that wound really took out of him. "I'll lead them around the ridge while you cut through the forest. They go after the bigger target, they always do. I'll meet up with you in an hour, I promise." He reassured her, ducking his head as a bullet bounced off the sand a foot away from him.

"Joel! No!" Ellie tried to slip off Callus II's back, but I secured her arm around my waist.

Joel gave Callus II a sharp whack on the hindquarters with a, "Hiyah!" and dove behind the rotten pile of logs. Ellie wrapped the other arm around my torso as Callus II picked up a canter to prevent herself from falling off.

Before Ellie could complain again, tree branches were already whipping past us.


	5. Brush

I poked at the fire with a lichen-encrusted stick, staring moodily into the darkness that was kept at bay by the flickering ring of firelight. I watched as a shower of embers erupted from the flaming wood, just barely reaching the shadowy, overhanging branches of the conifers surrounding us. I could hear crickets singing their love songs in the dark, the occasional snorting from Callus II, and incessant footsteps on the other side of the fire pit.

"Would you stop pacing, for shit's sake? You're driving me insane." I barked at Ellie, tossing my stick into the oppressive shadows of the forest. I didn't even know how far we had travelled, but Ellie's footsteps made it hard to listen for out-of-place noises among the dense trees.

Ellie glared at me, halting for a second. I had only a couple precious moments of sweet peace before she started up again. "Why the fuck did Joel do that? Putting me on a horse with a boy I barely know and telling me to run? I could have helped him kill those bastards, I mean we've been through way worse than a few fuckers on horses!"

"Here we go again…" I groaned, regretting opening my mouth. Ellie had been ranting on and on ever since we got off the horse and made camp an eternity ago.

"How the hell can you be so fucking calm? Aren't you worried about Taylor?" Ellie retorted, finally plopping herself down on the only bedroll I let her have. I would be sleeping on the ground tonight, if she let me sleep at all.

I felt a twinge of anxiety as I pictured Taylor's bleeding temple in my mind again, but I pushed it out. "You don't have to worry about dead people." I muttered. I wasn't entirely sure if Taylor was dead, but his chances of survival seemed slim to none back there.

Ellie met my eyes again, and this time they held disbelief. "You give up too easily on people."

The corner of my mouth twitched. I was too tired to argue with her, so I lay down on my bed of pine needles in the hopes that she would see I needed sleep and shut up. Of course, girls never shut up. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.

"Did you ever visit the Fireflies in Salt Lake City after you left for Blackfoot?" Ellie asked, and I was grateful she at least changed the subject. I wasn't glad about the subject she chose instead, though.

"No."

"So you abandoned your mom, just like that? That's pretty low." Ellie snorted.

I didn't answer for a moment, letting the jealousy seep into my mind just a little. "It didn't really matter that I did. It's not like she would have cared if I stayed or not."

I didn't see the look of surprise on Ellie's face, but I heard it in her voice. "I can't believe you just said that! You're Marlene's son, of course she would have cared if you were there!"

I sat up again, wrapping the blanket tighter around me to keep the chilly night air out. I glared viciously at Ellie, eyeing her up and down before I spoke. She wore a red plaid hoodie with a gray shirt underneath, along with dirty jeans. Her red hair was coming out of her ponytail, and the firelight seemed to make it glow.

"It didn't matter that I abandoned her because she abandoned me first. Fifteen years ago. On your birthday. I was invisible ever since, and beat by my father until he died from a bullet to the head by a Boston soldier. Do you understand why I don't like you now?" I hissed venomously, my lips curling back in a snarl.

Ellie opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. She shut it again, and something akin to regret clouded her green-turned-hazel eyes as she rested her chin on her kneecaps. I watched her stare sorrowfully into the dancing flames for a minute. A derisive noise escaped from the back of my throat as I curled up on the pine needles again, careful not to put too much pressure on my injured shoulder. Ellie had helped me clean and bandage it since I couldn't do it myself, but the kindness ended there, at least on my part. If I had to be stuck with her, then she was going to share my misery.

I had almost drifted off when I heard her irritating voice again. "I'm sorry, Aaron. I didn't really have a choice about who my mom gave me to before she died. Marlene is like my mom's sister, she's the only person she trusted enough to take care of me. She didn't do it to spite you." Despite the gentleness of her tone, it still grated on my nerves. I just wanted silence.

_Was. _I mentally corrected her. "Whatever," I sighed, "it doesn't change the way Mom treated me after you came along. You were her little princess and I was dumped on my father. I'm the bastard child of the Fireflies, doomed to a life of being invisible except to those who want to hurt me. Mom just liked you better. She always wanted a girl, anyway."

"Yeah, well…it wasn't fair. Marlene shouldn't have done that to you. You don't deserve it. If I ever see her again, I'll tell her." Ellie decided, and I heard her stand up again. I felt a pang of grief. _You'd have to be dead to tell her. _I braced myself for another round of pacing, but I cracked an eye open to see her sneakers stop in front of me.

"What the hell do you care about what I do or don't deserve? As you said, you barely know me." I snapped bitterly at her in an attempt to get her to leave me alone, but just like at the bonfire in the timber yard, I didn't deter her.

Ellie lifted a shoulder as she crouched down beside my head. She gently peeled back the corner of the blanket to check on my wound, and the rush of cold air made me shiver. The sweater inside my backpack was hanging from the tree branch Callus II was tied to, on the opposite side of the fire pit. All I had to cover my upper body was my black tank top from yesterday, which was in rough shape from the snagging and whipping tree branches.

She flicked back the rest of the blanket, making my entire body go rigid as the cold seeped into my exposed skin. I was about to hiss more obscenities at her, but the cold went away as she tucked her hoodie around my shivering shoulders. It was warm from her body heat and that of the fire, and the insults died in my throat. It smelled like horse and pine needles. My glare softened into a perplexed look as I met her eyes.

They looked as confused as mine did, as if she wasn't quite sure why she was giving me her hoodie. Her gray shirt turned out to be a thermal sweater, so I guess she could live without it.

"You deserve to be warm when you're cold." Ellie murmured softly as she replaced the blanket, tucking that around my shoulders with a tenderness even my mother never showed me. She got up without a word, shuffling back to her bedroll and resuming her staring contest with the bonfire.

That confusion stayed with me as I closed my eyes again, and my coveted, sweet silence lulled me to sleep in a matter of minutes. I burrowed my head into the warm fabric of Ellie's hoodie, a tiny smile playing on my lips as my shivering ceased.

* * *

I let out a contented sigh as a shaft of sunlight filtering through the trees made my eyelids glow orange, imprinting the network of veins on my retinas. I allowed the warmth to envelop me for a few more seconds before the aroma of cooking meat forced me to leave my dream world for the day.

Ellie gave me a tentative smile as she stoked the fire beneath a couple of rabbits roasting on a spit. To my surprise I smiled back, one side of my mouth twitching up. I didn't force it down as I folded her red hoodie beside me.

"Thanks for uhh…last night. Getting hypothermia two days in a row would have sucked." I said quietly, breaking the almost-awkward silence between us. The crickets had been replaced with twitterpated birds and insects, and the trees whispered rumors to each other as the gentle breeze fluttered their leaves.

"Joel came back last night. We got us two new horses." Ellie informed me, expertly turning one rabbit over on its spit. She seemed tense, as if anticipating something or containing something. I couldn't tell which.

I arched an eyebrow. "And Taylor?" I asked hopefully, leaning forward as I propped my elbows on my knees.

I immediately knew she wasn't going to give me a straight answer when a devilish smirk played on her soft, pink lips. "I thought you didn't worry about dead people?" She said casually, avoiding my eyes as I furrowed my brow.

"I-I-uhh…" I shifted uneasily on the dried pine needles beneath me, biting my lip. I couldn't tell if she was cruel enough to joke about Taylor's death or if she was just keeping me in suspense about his survival of last night's attack. Either way, she was being plain mean.

I heard a twig snap behind me, and I didn't have time to turn around as I suddenly felt a burly arm lock around my throat. I sputtered and coughed, grabbing at my attacker's black-haired arm. He threw me down while Ellie just looked on bemusedly, shaking her head.

When he released me, I was met with a toothy, yellow smile and dancing blue eyes. "You miss your old man, boy?" Taylor drawled, adjusting the white bandage that was wrapped around his silver-haired head.

I picked myself up off the ground, punching him in the arm as I calmed my pounding heart. Then I hugged him like he really was my father. I was almost the same height as him, but I had no trouble burrowing my head into his shoulder as I mumbled, "How'd you make it out of there?"

"Joel fixed me up after he took care of the Hunters. You see our new horses yet?" Taylor asked as he released me. I caught a hint of reluctance in his tone, and I mentally agreed with him. I wouldn't be happy if I were saved by the man I was supposed to kill, either.

I nodded, and Taylor led me down a recently worn path through the undergrowth to a tiny clearing. I recognized Callus II, Taylor's spotted horse, and another gray one with a dished face. It was smaller than the other two, and a bit scrawnier.

I whipped out the Magnum I kept in my back pocket at all times as something crashed through the brush on the other side of the clearing. Taylor placed a hand on mine, lowering my gun. Joel rode out into the clearing on a black horse with white all over its face and legs. He had an exhausted look on his face and deep shadows under his eyes, so I assumed he was one of those people that liked to stay up 24 hours a day. Bandages were wrapped around his right upper arm and left thigh.

_Good, _I thought, _he's injured. I have a better chance tonight._

Joel nodded in a silent greeting to Taylor and I as he passed, and I noticed a familiar symbol embroidered in black on the horse's white-gone-gray saddle pad. I squinted at the gray horse and made out the same one on its pad, too. I threw a suspicious glance at Taylor.

Once Joel was out of earshot, I murmured to him, "Those horses have Firefly insignias…you know anything about that?" Callus II and the spotted horse didn't have them, which made the corrosive twinge of anxiety gnaw at my insides. Any horse we had (and we didn't have many) back at the hospital had that insignia sewn onto their pads so we could identify them as ours, but how did these two horses get into the hands of Hunters?

Taylor shrugged. "Horses and horse tack are a valuable commodity. I wouldn't be surprised if someone killed the rider and stole them when we sent out scouts. It wasn't uncommon for one or two to not come back." He ambled up towards the roasting rabbits, leaving me wondering why he avoided my gaze when he said it. I brushed it off, following after a few minutes. I helped myself to a leg of rabbit, forgetting the incident completely as I tore a piece of meat off the bone.

I caught Ellie rolling her eyes, muttering something about how boys always ate like dogs. I bared my teeth, letting out a playful snarl. Ellie tried unsuccessfully to hide a laugh behind her shoulder of rabbit, but my smile disappeared as I caught Joel glaring at me.

* * *

We had been back on the road again for a good two or three hours, winding through endless barren fields interspersed with a few low ridges. We passed a few abandoned cars along the way, and by some stroke of luck Joel had found a comic that I had never heard of, but Ellie seemed to fangirl over. He ponied the gray horse along behind his black one as Ellie became absorbed in the comic book, but at least my ears weren't bleeding from her awful puns anymore. It seemed like an old torture ritual for Joel, judging by his heavy sigh when she pulled the thing out. I picked up the habit quite quickly.

With my chatting buddy sucked into the world of _Savage Starlight _and Taylor being too close to Joel to plot with, I resigned myself to boredom as I swayed along with the movements of Callus II. I became preoccupied with my own thoughts, pondering what I would do once Joel was dead and…wait, what would happen to Ellie when I killed Joel?

_Oh please, like she's any concern of yours. You could kill her too, if you wanted to. It's her fault Mom is dead. _A voice in my head said snidely.

I glanced at Ellie, her eyes glued to the pages of her comic book. A quiet sigh escaped my lips. I couldn't kill her in cold blood, not when she saved my ass twice. She was just a kid caught up in the motives and affairs of other people. She had no say in what happened to Mom.

_Are you just going to dump her in Jackson, or on the side of the road? She'd come after you. _The voice warned in my mind.

Yeah, she would probably track me down and slit my throat. And Taylor's, for that matter. Ellie easily looked like she was often underestimated, but I could tell from the way she handled a gun and the fact that she had crossed the country with Joel that she wasn't anyone to mess with. I assumed anyone that did ended up with a bullet where it counted.

_So what are you going to do, then?_

I didn't know. Fed up with my depressing thoughts, I gazed out at the road ahead of us. I could see nothing but flat farmer's fields on both sides of me, and an idea occurred to me. I nudged my horse over to Ellie's silver one, plucking her _Savage Starlight _comic from her hands.

She gave me a murderous glare like I had just killed her pet dog. Ellie snatched at thin air as she tried to get it back, but there was a horse between her and my outstretched hand. "What the fuck? I was just getting to the good part!" She complained, yanking her reins back from Joel as I urged Callus II into a trot.

"You want this back?" I called over my shoulder, tantalizingly waving the comic in my hand, "you're going to have to race me to that bend in the road for it!" I wedged the comic book between my rifle sheath and the saddle, digging my heels into my horse's sides. Callus II picked up a canter, and soon I heard another horse loping after mine. Smirking, I clucked my tongue, and Callus II switched into a gallop.

Joel and Taylor's protests were lost to the wind rushing past my ears as I caught Ellie's horse nosing into my peripheral vision. Ellie had a wide smile plastered across her face, and I stuck my tongue out at her as I urged Callus II faster. I began to pull away, but that little scrawny pony of hers was a powerhouse. We were neck and neck for a while, and I pointed to a white husk of a car as the finish line. Adrenaline sang through my veins as the finish line approached, me urging my horse faster with every step.

Ellie crossed it first with half a horse-length on me.

"In your face, Firefly! I win!" Ellie panted breathlessly as she and her horse caught their breath. My calves, among other parts of my legs, ached for standing in the saddle for so long, and I checked over my shoulder to see Taylor and Joel loping leisurely after us.

It was the first time I had laughed out loud in recent memory. It felt good.

I felt free, even if it was just for a moment.

"Pfft, that was just lucky. You're lighter than me." I quipped playfully as I wiped the sweat off my brow, but I still had that damn grin on my face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is that a sore loser I hear?" Ellie drawled, walking up to me on her horse and leaning over to snatch the comic from my saddle.

I chuckled, unconsciously reaching a hand up. "Look at you, your hair looks like it's been through a tornado." I smirked, tentatively brushing the tangled, windblown strands behind her ear. She froze, one hand on Callus II's saddle horn and the other clenching her comic. Her eyes locked onto mine, and I saw fear flash across them. I would've laughed again, if I hadn't awkwardly cleared my throat and dropped my hand. The girl who could shoot Hunters off horses, scared of a boy brushing hair behind her ear? It almost seemed ludicrous.

Ellie hastily settled herself back into her saddle, walking her horse up the road to cool her off. As she passed, I could have sworn her cheeks were the colour of her hair. I mentally kicked myself for slipping up, glad my dark skin didn't show the heat burning my face.

I let Callus II cool off as Taylor, Joel, and Ellie caught up, but if I expected Joel to say anything on the subject of Ellie, he didn't deliver. Instead he snapped furiously, "What the hell were you two kids thinking, running off like that? You don't know what kind of shit's around the next corner."

This was one of those times were I instinctively ducked my head while Ellie protested. "C'mon Joel, we were just having some fun! Give us a break!" She replied, redoing her ponytail to catch all the strands that had fallen out. I was glad she wasn't as thrown off by the hair incident as I was.

"Ellie, I don't want you getting close with this boy, you hear me? He's enough trouble as it is." Joel warned, and my mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"Nice way to thank me for saving your girl's life, you Firefly-slaughtering bastard!" I spat at him, pulling out my Magnum at the same time he cocked his pistol.

"I'll gladly add you to the tally, _Firefly_." Joel growled, aiming the pistol at my chest. I tried to hold my hand steady so it wouldn't shake.

"Hey, if you guys are finished throwing empty threats at each other, we've got a bigger problem!" Ellie called from up the road, and I grudgingly put my gun away as Joel did the same. I rounded the bend in the road, catching up with Ellie and Taylor.

What I saw was a scavenger's dream and nightmare mixed into one.

Dozens upon dozens of dilapidated cars glimmered dully in the sunlight, just waiting to be looted on the highway. And between them, patrols of Runners, Stalkers, and Clickers.


	6. Buzzed

"So…any ideas?" I pondered aloud, trying to do a quick headcount of the Infected while trying to keep Callus II under control. If I could see them clearly in broad daylight, he could smell them even better. I bet that two dozen or more Infected didn't smell too good.

"We go around, cut through the fields." Joel stated, as if he didn't see any other option. Ellie nodded in agreement, already turning her horse to follow Joel's as it stepped into the muddy, barren field on our right.

"We're low on ammo, and a couple cans of peaches ain't gonna last us for very long." I reminded the pair as Taylor kept his wary eyes on me to see what I would do. Ellie glanced at me and bit her lip. She knew I was right. If we had to go hunting that meant the grub was running out. I had used up the majority of my ammo shooting Hunters yesterday.

My feet hit the baking pavement as I handed Callus II's reins to Taylor. Sure, it was a dumb move by anyone's standards, but judging by the endless fields that lay in front of me, the next town wasn't going to be close. _Plus, who could pass up this jackpot? The Clickers can fuck themselves, I'm going scavenging! _The pile-up was the candy store and I was the kid who had just entered it.

"Aaron, get your scrawny ass back here, right now! I am _not _letting you risk your life for a few bullets!" Taylor growled threateningly at me, but I was already ducking behind the dented trunk of a small, four-passenger blue car.

I smirked back at him, already feeling the adrenaline trickling through my veins. Battling Infected made me feel alive, and Taylor had seen me kill enough on our way to Salt Lake City to know that I felt immortal. I grinned as he dismounted, tying the horses to a bent speed limit sign.

"Nice of you to join me, Taylor. Now, would you prefer fire or steel?" I asked eloquently, as if I was taking his order at a diner.

Taylor deliberated for a moment, grasping a dusty, cracked bottle lying beside the car tire. "You have a death wish, boy. But I'm a hungry man." He retorted, chucking the bottle over his head.

I slipped a prepared Molotov from my pack as Taylor lit it with his Zippo lighter. The shrieks of Runners and excited chatter of Clickers made me lick my lips in anticipation, and I peeked out from behind the flat tire of the car, watching them gather in a dense conglomeration around the shattered bottle. My fingers itched, and my head buzzed with the battle high. When they began to lose interest, I aimed and the eager screeches turned to agonized screams as their putrefied skin and threadbare, filthy clothing caught fire.

I observed the thrashing, dying Infected with a sick sense of satisfaction, my smile growing wider as other alerted Infected caught the contagious flames in an attempt to satiate their curiosity. The stench of burning flesh stung my nose as it wafted towards me on the breeze, and through my watering eyes I saw a black tower of smoke writhe and tarnish the sapphire sky as it climbed ever higher.

I turned to Taylor as he advanced, crouching low as he made headway among the husks of vehicles. I heard more Infected moan and call to each other down the road, but they were too far away to notice us. I glanced around for Ellie and Joel, but I saw no sign of them as I stood up, dusting the gravel from my camo pants.

A sense of disappointment settled over me as I picked up fallen cartridges from the heap of charred, crispy Infected. "Joel and Ellie ditched us. Assholes." I moodily informed Taylor as I kicked the burned head of a Clicker out of my way. It detached from the neck with surprisingly little force, and I flailed my foot a little to get the disgusting Clicker blood off of it.

Taylor frowned, shaking his head. "Joel was a grouchy son of a bitch, anyway. I didn't like him much. Good riddance, I say." His voice was muffled as he stuck his head into the passenger door of a black pick-up truck. "Dear Lord, it stinks to high heaven in here!"

"I don't know…Ellie was kind of cool. She's not much of a comedian, but she's a damn good rider." I shrugged, moving on to pry open a red car's trunk with a stray piece of metal piping. I let out a low whistle as it revealed an empty jug of water and a cooler that smelled like something died in it.

Bracing myself for the contents of the mystery cooler, I opened it to find many baggies of mold ranging from white to blue to black, but more importantly I stuffed a few cans of food into my backpack. I replaced the lid before my lungs collapsed from lack of oxygen.

I poked my head through the windowless passenger door of the car, smiling as I plucked a _Savage Starlight _comic from the backseat. Ellie and Joel were missing out. I could picture Ellie's beaming face as I shoved the comic into my bag, and impatience settled over me as I stumbled and tripped my way through the other dilapidated vehicles. I vaulted myself up onto the top of a large white truck that had "Fed" peeling off the side in blue paint.

My jaw went slack as I saw that the pile-up extended well beyond what my eyes could see. Judging by the direction the cars faced, I determined whoever had been driving them wanted to escape from the east. My heart sank to realize that the numerous Infected I saw stumbling and milling about between the deserted vehicles must have been those people.

_There are so many…too many. This is what Mom was trying to prevent. People shouldn't have to end up this way. _I thought bitterly as I wrenched my eyes from the wayward Infected. I saw the silver tail of Ellie's pony swish about a half-mile down the road, sloshing through the mud after Joel's gleaming ebony horse. Her fiery hair was like a beacon of hope among the desolation some thirty yards to her left. I wondered if this was what my mother had felt every time she saw Ellie.

I shook my head vigorously to banish the thought. That cause was over. Pointless. I wouldn't do that to her. I _couldn't_.

_But you want to kill Joel. How is that any different from killing Ellie? If you do, she'll probably commit suicide or come after you and Taylor. If you end his life, you'll end hers, too. _The voice in my head reminded me. As jealous as I was of Ellie, I could never hate her enough to want her dead. I realized that, even after spending a few days with her, there was too much life left in her. She wanted to live, and as far as I knew, she didn't want to give up that chance. I bet she had no idea what they were going to do to her in that hospital.

"You done having a staring contest with the horizon, son? We gotta catch up to Joel and Ellie!" Taylor's voice ripped me from my thoughts, and I came crashing back to reality as my feet hit the cracked blacktop again.

"Do we have enough stuff?" I asked, adjusting the straps on my backpack. It felt heavier now, which made me feel better. Taylor nodded, and I followed him back to the horses. I took the route Joel and Ellie had made, picking up a trot to close the distance between us. Mud splattered my horse's belly and my legs as I guided him around larger puddles. The mud made sucking noises each time Callus II lifted a hoof from the soggy ground, and I knew it wasn't good to have horses spend too much time in the mud.

"Thanks for fucking ditching us!" I called out to Ellie as we came within earshot. She whipped around in her saddle, but instead of the frown I expected, I got a wide smile. The impatience I felt earlier came back to me, making my heart flutter despite the fact that no adrenaline was humming through my veins at the moment.

Joel gave me his usual glare, and I bet he had hoped the Clickers would get us. _You ain't getting rid of us that easy. _I wanted to sneer at him, but instead I just smirked at him like any cocky, teenage boy would. That was the extent of our exchange, apparently, because he turned his eyes to the front again and ignored me.

"Find anything cool?" Ellie asked me, raising an expectant eyebrow.

"Nah, nothin' really. Just some food and ammo. You'd be surprised how much ammo Infected have on them." I shrugged nonchalantly, and her shoulders drooped in disappointment. It didn't last long. "I did find this, though. I thought you might like it." I smirked, pulling the comic from my bag.

Ellie's jade-green eyes lit up as she greedily snatched the comic from me, almost pulling me off my horse in a hasty, one-armed hug. "Damn, two comics in one day? This is my fucking lucky day!" She cheered, and before I could reply she was already nose-deep in the next adventure of _Savage Starlight_. I chuckled, giving her a quick glance every now and again as the heat receded from my cheeks.

The small smile never seemed to leave my lips, and eventually Taylor started to notice. I caught him on more than one occasion as he glanced between me and Ellie, and his eyes always held a stern warning every time our eyes met. Joel's words to Ellie after our horse race echoed in my head, and I figured Taylor was silently telling me the same thing. I wasn't supposed to get close to Ellie.

The problem was I wanted to.

* * *

As the farmland began to transform into steep ridges and forests, and we had moved back onto the road once the Infected and cars disappeared, I emerged from my dozing to tune into Ellie and Joel's conversation. Boredom had lulled me into a light nap, but I stayed awake enough to keep myself upright in the saddle.

I heard a heavy sigh from Joel. _Uh-oh. Ellie has her joke book out again…_ I hurried to go back to sleep, but Ellie pounced on me before I could shut my eyes again. _Here we go..._ I groaned inaudibly as she flipped the page of "No Pun Intended, Volume Too". The tiny sound was enough to make dread crawl up my spine.

"What do you call a mix between a penguin and a horse?" Ellie asked me, using her trademark deadpan tone. I wondered if she used that voice just to torture us more, but I pushed the thought out. Ellie wasn't that mean.

I shrugged. Honestly, I didn't really know what a penguin was. "What?"

"A zebra." We both wrinkled our noses in confusion at that one. "Joel, what's a 'zebra'?" Ellie queried, trying the word out.

It was the first time I had seen Joel make some kind of emotion that wasn't negatively directed at me. It actually got an almost inaudible chuckle out of him. I didn't think the man was capable of laughing, but he seemed to loosen up a lot around Ellie.

"A zebra is a striped, black and white horse that lives in Africa. You can't ride 'em, though. They're wild things." Joel replied, and as quickly as he let his guard down, he put it back up.

Ellie looked incredulously at me, and we both cracked up at the ridiculousness of a striped horse. I wouldn't believe it until I saw it.

"Next thing you'll be telling me is that there are black and white grizzly bears and cougars, too!" I laughed, and Ellie had to hold her side as she complained I was making her get a cramp. Our laughter echoed off the high ridges on either side of us in the late afternoon sun, mixing with the bubbling stream rushing by on our right.

Joel arched a black eyebrow at me. "You mean pandas and snow leopards? Those exist, too. They live over in Asia. China, I think." He informed us matter-of-factly.

"Joel stop, we're gonna die laughing!" Ellie gasped between giggles, and I nodded in agreement, hunched over my saddle horn. Taylor just rolled his eyes at us, giving Joel an exasperated glance. Silence settled over us as Ellie and I gradually stopped laughing, with nothing but the hoofbeats of our horses and the gurgling stream accompanying it.

* * *

"Oh man, I am fucking _beat_! Can we make camp somewhere? I don't think I can stand another minute in the saddle." Ellie whined as we came upon our first building in twelve hours. My first instinct was to tell her to buck up, because that's what Taylor always told me when I complained, but I held myself back. I was just as exhausted as she was. My back ached from so many hours riding Callus II, and I doubted I would be able to walk tomorrow. I could hardly keep my eyes open as it was.

The sun had set over the horizon, and twilight had turned the low, run-down buildings around me into silhouettes, indistinct from each other. I heard an inhuman shriek from somewhere down the street, and a shudder trembled through me. As exhausted as I was, that sound was enough to make my heart pump double time.

"Welcome to Freedom, Wyoming. Yeah, I feel free, alright." I snorted derisively as I read the sign by the side of the road. It had blood splattered all over it.

"We're not in the best shape to take on a town full of Infected…how about we hole up in that bungalow over there?" Taylor pointed to a low, red brick house with a separate, crimson garage. The paint was peeling off and it was more of a tarnished, rusted gray than red. Everyone looked too tired to argue otherwise, so we dismounted and led our horses up to the house. The poor animals looked about ready to drop too, with their heads hanging low and their steps laboured.

I glanced sideways at the tiny garage. "I don't think that thing is going to fit four horses…" I stated the obvious with a wide yawn.

"There's a paddock right beside it, look." Ellie pointed out, gesturing to a fence that was barely standing, but seemed to enclose a small rectangle of land. Better yet, it had grass instead of mud in it. She led her pony over to the pasture, and after checking that it was clear of Infected and other undesirables, tied her to the shabby fence and took off the saddle.

Joel, Taylor, and I mimicked her, and the horses gratefully nickered as they wandered off into the paddock for a well-deserved roll in the soggy grass. I wished I could get a break, too, but we had to clear the house first.

Once we had busted the locks and crept into the house, the hair on the back of my neck stood up like hackles as I listened hard for any Infected. With each step, my shoulders got more and more rigid until I swore the wound on my shoulder would open again. I spied a hastily-scrawled note taped to the door on my left as I entered a narrow hallway that branched off of the cramped living room. I flicked my flashlight on to read it in the dark.

Ellie came up behind me as she peered at the note. "I didn't have the strength to kill him. Please do what I couldn't. I love you, sweetie. –L.R." I watched as her face pinched with something resembling sympathy. How could you be sympathetic towards Infected? I tossed the note away, taking out my Magnum and cocking it. I tried the door with a clammy hand, not wanting to think of what was waiting for me on the other side. It was locked, so I used one of my shivs to break the only thing standing between me and jaws to my throat.

I've been mauled by Infected before, but it didn't get any easier each time. My head hit the wall of the corridor before I fully opened the door, and a wave of nausea came over me as the stench of rotting flesh hit my nose like the back of my skull slammed against the wall. I wrestled with the Clicker, its screeches making my ears ring and its gnashing teeth mere inches from my face. Before I knew what was going on, I caught a flash of silver puncturing its neck until it stopped moving. I shoved the dead Clicker away from me, wiping the blood off my face with shaking hands.

"You okay?" Ellie asked, wiping her switchblade on her thigh before pocketing it. Joel and Taylor put down their guns.

I opened my mouth to answer, and closed it when I figured no sound was going to come out. So I nodded minutely, my head spinning from the subtle movement. I leaned heavily against the wall, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest from pure terror.

"Thanks, Ellie. We'll get rid of that body, you two settle in for the night." Taylor motioned to the Clicker corpse, and Joel helped him haul it out the back door. I was left alone with Ellie for a few minutes, trying to get over the fact that I almost died three minutes ago. I was in too much shock to speak or move, but Ellie poked her head into the only other room in the house like nothing happened. Like there wasn't Clicker blood splattered all over the beige floral wallpaper in the hall.

When Taylor and Joel came back, the fresh smell of the night air outside brought me out of my trance. I finally put away my gun, which I realized I had dropped at some point or other during the skirmish. Ellie had finished exploring the rest of the house, showing Joel a dark, glass bottle of liquid.

"Joel, what's 'Char-doon-nay'?"

I heard the liquid slosh as Joel took the bottle from Ellie. "Nothing fifteen-year old girls should be drinking."

"You _drink _that stuff? I wanna try!" Ellie said excitedly, but it quickly died down as I spied Joel putting the bottle somewhere Ellie couldn't reach it.

I barely heard her as I detached myself from the wall, stumbling over to the kitchen and using the counter to steady myself. The fear had ebbed away, but a new feeling had replaced it, one I was familiar with.

Guilt.

I froze. I was useless. I couldn't even defend myself against one measly Clicker.

I had to be saved by a fifteen-year old girl.

Our next problem: There was only one bedroom. I sure as hell wasn't sleeping in the same place a Clicker had been.

"Aaron, you take the couch. I'll take the floor. 'Night." Taylor mumbled, shuffling off with half-lidded eyes as he leaned his rifle by the door.

"Fine…Goodnight." I said, my words quiet and slurred from being half-dazed. I assumed Joel would take the master bedroom (if "master bedroom" meant a full-size mattress with peeling, atrocious paisley wallpaper). So that just left… "Where are you sleeping, Ellie?"

Ellie lifted a shoulder, rubbing her eye with the back of the other hand. "I sleep with Joel." She answered simply, trailing after her guardian. The ancient hardwood floor creaked as she padded down the hallway, and she gave me a sleepy smile as way of saying goodnight. She slipped into Joel's room, leaving me alone in the narrow hallway.

Taylor and I ambled off a few steps toward the living room, and as I sat on the edge of the moth-eaten couch he gave me a hard stare as he spread his bedroll out on the floor.

"What?" I snapped, tossing my filthy, tattered black tank top in the corner. It was so full of holes it wasn't even wearable anymore. Plus, it was too hot to sleep with a shirt on.

"When are you going to do it?" I knew what Taylor was going to ask before he even said anything. My sigh was more like a whine as I rubbed a hand down my face. I wasn't in the mood to plot murder.

"Not when I'm dead tired and scared shitless after a Clicker attack." I retorted, propping one arm behind my head as I stretched myself out on the sofa. It was a welcome change from the hard, unforgiving ground of the forest floor. The cushions were soft and gentle on my sore muscles, caressing every contour of my body to provide as much comfort as possible.

"I want to get back to Salt Lake, Aaron." Taylor's voice was low, in case Joel or Ellie were eavesdropping. I wouldn't put it past either of them.

I sighed again, this time in defeat. I didn't want to go back to St. Mary's. There was nothing left for me there except a job I didn't want and people who didn't know when enough was enough. "I have to do it at the right time, and in the right place. I can't do shit right now." I rolled over, signifying I didn't want to talk anymore.

"Don't let that girl get under your skin, son. It's bad enough she had to save you, and I don't want her to distract you from the real reason you're here." Taylor warned, and I refused to answer to that comment. I didn't care about Ellie. Sure, she was fun, cute, a little spunky…but ultimately, I had to convince myself she meant nothing to me. She _did _mean nothing to me…didn't she?

* * *

I woke up panting, scrabbling at my throat to get the Clicker's putrid fingers away from me. I was just short of screaming when I realized there was no Clicker. That didn't stop the sweat from drilling down my temples as I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, letting Taylor's light snoring from the floor and the silence of the house calm my racing heart.

_It was just a dream…_

When my heart rate was back to normal, I considered going back to sleep, but the nightmare had left me jarred and wide awake. Figuring sleep was a thing of the past, I flicked my blanket back and tip-toed past Taylor in my socks, finding my way by touch in the dark. The floor creaked and groaned under my weight, and I was surprised the unbearably loud noise didn't wake Taylor up.

Somehow, I ended up searching the shelves in the kitchen for something I caught a glimpse of before I went to bed. Being a head taller than Ellie, I easily reached the half-full bottle of Chardonnay and cocked my head at it. Was this really what people used to drink back in the day? I uncorked the bottle and experimentally sniffed it.

It didn't smell too bad, and I hope it tasted better than the beer Taylor sometimes let me have a swig of before he converted it into a Molotov. Before I could get a taste of the stuff, a figure emerged from the darkness, padding quietly down the hallway.

"What're you doing up this late?" I asked Ellie, setting the bottle on the counter.

She yawned, and for the first time I noticed her hair was down. It elegantly framed her face, falling down in layers to just past her shoulders. I wanted to brush her bangs from her face, just like I did after the horse race. She looked more like a teenager this way and less like a tween. I would even have gone as far as saying she was pretty. She was still in her day clothes, which were wrinkled from the mattress.

"I heard somebody walking around. I wanted to check it out." Ellie replied sleepily between yawns, not bothering to cover her mouth as she eyed the bottle on the counter. "What are you doing with that wine?" Her eyes skimmed over my upper body for a split-second, and I convinced myself that the appreciative gleam in her green eyes was a trick of the darkness.

Sure, I had a bit of muscle from toting heavy rifles and whatnot, but I was still pretty scrawny. Girls don't look at scrawny guys.

I shrugged. "I'm a secret alcoholic. I like to get drunk when nobody's looking."

A crease formed between Ellie's eyebrows. "Yeah, whatever. I wanna try some of that stuff. You're not going to stop me, are you? Big brother?" Her smirk disappeared at my dark scowl.

"We're _not_ related." I said fiercely, and Ellie shrugged as she reached past me to take the bottle.

"It was worth a try. Bottom's up." She said, tilting the bottle to her lips. She almost immediately put it back down, visibly trying not to cough and wake up Taylor. I couldn't believe she actually swallowed the wine. "Wow, that's…disgusting." She handed it back to me.

"Pssh. Newbie." I took a swing of the wine, forcing it down without looking like I wanted to throw up afterwards. It really was disgusting, but it left me a little less scared from my nightmare. After we shared a few more swigs, I had completely forgotten why I was up in the first place, and I felt a pleasant buzz in my head. My thoughts were lulled, but I was alert enough to know it wasn't from lack of sleep.

"Hey, uhh…thanks for saving my ass today." My words were a little slurred, and I felt sleep calling me from the couch.

Ellie waved a hand, "Naw, it was nothin'. I do that for Joel all the…all the time." At this point, she had to grasp the edge of the wooden kitchen table to keep from tripping over her own feet.

I smirked, taking a step towards her. Before my buzzed, sluggish brain realized what I was doing, I had one hand brushing her silky hair away from her face, and my lips were already brushing the skin of her cheek, too close to her lips. "No, really. Thank you." I murmured, my voice coming out huskier than usual.

Damn alcohol. I never would have done that if I was sober.

The audible hitch in Ellie's breath and the visible shudder that shook her shoulders brought me back to reality. "Sorry, I-"

But she was already gone, feeling her way back to Joel's room in the dark.

**A/N: Well, that escalated quickly. How do you think things will be in the morning? What will Taylor do? How do you think Joel will react? Let me know in a review! Thanks for reading!**


	7. Spill

"Joel, it wasn't his fault!" Ellie's desperate voice pierced through my peaceful unconsciousness, jarring me awake just in time to see the grizzly man himself point a black blur at my head.

When my vision focused, my heart was already pounding before I heard the click. Fear and dread trickled down my spine as the black blur sharpened to reveal a pistol. "What's going on?" I squeaked, and I didn't bother to hide the fear in my voice.

Of course, I knew exactly what was going on. I dared to glance at Ellie, who was supporting herself by leaning against the counter, her face contorted as if fighting off a headache. She had gotten a little tipsier than I had last night, and I bet Joel smelled the alcohol on her breath when she went back to bed. A gun to my head was the result of a few swigs of wine, which by the way, I _did not _force her to drink. I should have expected that he would have pinned the blame entirely on me.

"Then why did you come back to bed buzzed like a freshman at college?" Joel growled, and I scrunched my nose in confusion at the reference. What's a freshman?

It was time I cleared things up before I got a bullet in my head. "For the record, I didn't force Ellie to drink the wine. She did that all by herself. Can you stop pointing that thing at me now?" I tried to tip the barrel of the pistol away from my face, but Joel held the gun firmly in place. Right between my eyes. My head ached in time with my heartbeat.

Unfortunately, Joel's angry expression only turned more furious as he pressed the barrel harder against my forehead. His eyes were as emotionless as bits of flint-he had killed for less, that much I could tell.

"It's just like you Fireflies to put the blame on anybody but yourselves, you self-righteous piece of shit!" Joel's rumble turned into a roar and the sound of a gunshot so close to my head made my ears ring. For a moment, that was all I could hear. I squeezed my eyes shut, but I slowly opened them one by one when I realized I wasn't dead.

Then came the chaos.

I sat up, my headache forgotten, as I witnessed Taylor slug Joel across the face, forcing him to drop his gun. It spun towards me, and I picked it up before Joel could get his hands on it again. I vaulted over the couch and restrained Ellie with one arm before she could get between the two brawling men.

"Let them sort it out, Ellie." I hissed through gritted teeth as the girl's insistent jerking and wriggling irritated my healing shoulder.

"Fuck you!" I hunched over as Ellie sharply elbowed me in the gut, and she was already pulling Joel and Taylor apart before I could recover and recapture her. "Stop it! Stop it or I shoot!" She yelled above the cussing, and I realized belatedly that she had stolen my pistol, too. I almost smirked.

Joel and Taylor stood a few feet apart in the tiny living room, eyes blazing with fury and chests heaving as they gulped much-needed air. Taylor's white hair had turned gray with sweat, and a couple buttons from Joel's green plaid shirt were missing.

Taylor was the first to break the heavy silence that had settled on the four of us. "If you _ever _threaten Aaron again, I swear I will tear you limb from fucking limb. Understand, Joel?" Taylor said it calmly, like it was a fact instead of a threat. He uncurled his bunched fists, but otherwise he didn't move.

Joel didn't even acknowledge the warning. "If Aaron lays a finger on Ellie again, I will shoot him dead where he stands. I think it's best if we go our separate ways, Taylor. Take your boy and pack up before somebody gets hurt." He said in the same level tone as Taylor, picking up the man's backpack and tossing it to him.

I narrowed my eyes accusingly at Ellie, and in my peripheral vision I noticed Taylor shoot a sharp glare at me. Why wasn't I surprised that she blurted out my kiss to Joel? I guess I didn't really know what I expected after I kissed her, but being ratted out wasn't one of them. Getting a gun to my face first thing in the morning wasn't either.

Ellie shrugged helplessly, handing the gun back to Joel, who stuck it in his holster. For a few minutes, all I heard was the shuffling of feet on the hardwood floor as everyone gathered their things. I had pulled a green military t-shirt on that I had gotten in Boston when Ellie broke the tense silence.

"I don't want you guys to leave." I glanced up from my backpack at that. Ellie stood in the middle of the living room, rocking back and forth on her heels. She spoke to the floor, not meeting our eyes.

As far as I knew, Ellie never had a problem speaking her mind, so her sudden shyness baffled me. _Going against Joel's decisions must be hard for her_, I thought. When one person's advice was all that kept you alive, it must be almost impossible to say no. I couldn't help but admire her a little for it.

"Thanks Ellie, but…what Joel says goes, right?" I chuckled without mirth, slinging my backpack over my good shoulder.

Ellie furrowed her brow, finally meeting my eyes. A ghost of a smirk played on my lips as I saw the gleam of defiance in them. She darted into the hallway that contained the two bedrooms, and I heard a door click shut. I heard her speaking, but it was muffled by the walls and bedroom door. I glanced at Taylor, who was nursing a cut on his lower lip. His right eye was purple and it was starting to swell.

I plopped my pack on the couch, silently creeping closer to Ellie and Joel's bedroom door. I put my ear to the white-washed wood, hearing nothing but indiscernible noises for a few seconds-probably Joel and Ellie getting their things in order.

"He's not a bad kid, Joel. What he said was true; he didn't force me to do anything. I drank that wine because I wanted to." For the first time, I didn't detect any of Ellie's usual attitude or girlish sass in her voice. It held something I heard too often in my own voice-submission.

"I believe him about the wine, Ellie. It's…" Joel's heavy sigh reached my ears. "I don't want you to get close to that boy."

"You already said that. I don't like him that way, Joel. We didn't know each other that well in Boston, either." The suspicion was plain in Ellie's voice, and an unidentifiable feeling twisted painfully in my stomach.

"He's from Boston?" Joel asked, surprised. A short pause. "Look, it doesn't matter where he's from. I don't want to know what would've happened if he kissed you on the lips, or God forbid…" He trailed off, and I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. It wasn't hard to fill in the rest of the sentence.

I heard something thud and roll on the floor. A can, maybe. "Joel!" Ellie snapped angrily, "I'm not a little kid! I can kiss boys without you breathing down my neck! They taught us about sex in school; it's not like I don't know anything!"

I could feel the awkwardness permeate through the door, and I shifted uneasily. I didn't want to go _that _far with Ellie, but I didn't mind a passionate make-out session with a girl now and again. I shook my head vigorously to get the thought out. Now wasn't the time to fantasize.

"I know…I know that, Ellie," Joel's voice was a bit higher, announcing his discomfort loud and clear. I felt awkward, and _I_ wasn't even part of the conversation. It had to be twice as bad for Joel. I actually felt a bit of sympathy for him.

"It's just that…with your _condition_, I don't think it would be a good idea for you to do those things with anyone. I trust you to be safe, but I don't trust Aaron." Joel finished, his usual authority coming back. _Well, that goes without saying. _I mentally rolled my eyes.

I wondered for a second what Ellie's "condition" might be that prevented her from kissing me, and the answer came quickly. If she was immune, then she must technically be infected. The thought started that sickening churn in my stomach, the one I felt when I first realized it. If the infection is spread through bodily fluids…I shivered.

"I won't do those things with him, I promise. So…can he and Taylor stay?" Ellie asked hopefully after a few moments of shuffling.

Joel sighed again. "I don't know, Ellie. Taylor and I don't mix very well. I don't like Aaron, either."

"Joel, Taylor fought you because you were about to kill Aaron! Before that, he did nothing bad to you, and neither did Aaron! You can't just send them packing because of one little tiff!" Ellie protested.

Another silence. My thighs were burning from leaning over for so long, and I was starting to get a crick in my neck. I motivated myself to hang on for just a few more minutes. Then finally Joel caved in, "Fine, they can stay. You seem to get along with them pretty well, anyway."

I smiled, moving away from the door. Relief flooded my muscles and mind as I stretched my sore neck. I tip-toed back to the living room and plopped myself on the couch, giving Taylor a thumbs-up. He smiled, blood discharging from the cut on his lip.

I propped my left leg up on the arm of the couch, pulling the fabric of my camo pants back. It was a habit I had picked up over the years, but I was always scolded when someone caught me doing it. I wasn't surprised. On my left calf, right along the inside of my shin, was an ugly burn scar that started from behind my knee and extended mid-way down my calf. It was a couple shades darker than the rest of my skin. I don't know why I kept wanting to look at it. It was like I expected to to be gone every time I did, but I knew it would never happen. Still, I felt disappointed every time.

My mom told me that I got burned there by a Molotov when I was around two or three. I was too young to remember exactly what happened, so I just went with whatever she told me. She was there when it happened, anyway.

"Cover that thing up, boy! I don't wanna see that awful scar of yours and lose my appetite." Taylor covertly hissed as Ellie came into the room. From the way her eyes locked onto my leg and her red eyebrows furrowed, I knew she saw it. I lowered my leg hastily, obeying Taylor before Joel could see it, too. I never understood why people always told me to hide it. It was just a burn scar.

"You guys can stay. I convinced Joel. We'll eat breakfast and then get the horses ready. Joel wants to scavenge a bit before we leave." Ellie's smile was bright, and I nodded in affirmation. The familiar bitterness that had ebbed away yesterday came back. I was happy she wanted us to stay, but I knew I could never be more than friends with her because of Joel and her infection, but…that didn't stop me from wanting something there wasn't any hope for.

Okay, I'll admit it. I had a bit of a crush on her in Boston, but I never told anyone. I was jealous of her but I kind of liked her at the same time, even if I didn't see her often. And I was "supposed" to be her big brother. She wasn't as badass as Riley at the time, but if she had travelled the country with _Joel _and survived, she was at the top of my list of kickass girls. But that didn't matter because now I could stop kidding myself that she liked me back. I had no excuse to be nice to her anymore.

"We have bullets and food, why do we need to scavenge?" Taylor asked, opening a can of tomatoes with his karambit knife. I wanted to be charged by Infected as much as he did. I'd rather gallop through town until we were safely out of it.

"_You _have bullets and food. We don't," Ellie corrected Taylor, gesturing to herself and Joel, "and besides, we need medical supplies, too. We used up a lot patching you two up after that Hunter attack."

I shrugged, digging a can of peas and a can opener out of my pack. Although I didn't like it, I had to admit I was curious about what people left behind here. The pictures and journals always fascinated me like comics did Ellie. I began eating before she could ask me my opinion.

When we had gotten back on the horses, I still hadn't said a word to Ellie except to ask for the brush to groom Callus ll. I caught her giving me sidelong looks as we rode down the street, but I ignored her. When we split up to cover a house and a car garage on one street, I went with Taylor despite Ellie asking Joel if she could go with me instead.

As Taylor and I cleared the first and second floor of the two-storey house by stabbing a few Runners, I started to get weird looks from him, too. I was rifling through a few drawers in one of the upstairs bedrooms when I spied him leaning against the doorframe, the sunlight making the silver-white hair on his head almost translucent. He seemed younger in direct sunlight when there weren't any shadows cast by the lines on his face.

"You feeling okay, son?" Taylor questioned me, his face pinching in concern.

I moved on to the closet, measuring a gray t-shirt with a wolf on it against myself. I stuffed it in my pack. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?" I said curtly, busying myself with checking the nightstand.

"Aaron, look at me when I talk to you." Taylor ordered. I froze with a scissor blade in my hand, turning to meet his eyes. His furrowed eyebrows cast them in shadow. "Did that incident with Joel back there get to you?" At my guarded expression he softened his tone, "You can tell me what's bothering you, Aaron."

I shoved the scissor blade into my backpack where I kept sharp objects. "I told you, I'm _fine_. Nothing's bothering me, and Joel doesn't scare me." I grumbled moodily, pushing past him to scavenge the bedroom across the hall. Taylor didn't say anything until we reach the bottom of the stairs to loot the kitchen and living room.

"What else did you hear Ellie and Joel say besides letting us come with them? You must've heard _something _you didn't like, otherwise you wouldn't be acting like your mother during her time of the month." I wasn't even going to ask what that meant. I wished Taylor would just drop the subject. I didn't like people nosing into my business, but it was basically Taylor's job to nose into my business since we were in this together.

I gave him my best leave-me-alone-or-I-will-kill-you glare, but he still just raised an eyebrow at me expectantly, crossing his arms as he leaned against the splintered wooden countertop. Figuring out he was too stubborn to drop the subject, and that I wasn't going to get him off my back until I told him, I sighed in defeat.

I kicked one of the larger pieces of debris that was strewn across the kitchen floor, watching the chipped linoleum tile spin away. It sounded like breaking glass when it shattered against the pantry door, which we had already cleared. "You're right. I heard Ellie say some stuff…that didn't really sit well with me." I mumbled reluctantly, mimicking Taylor's posture.

Taylor remained silent, letting me continue. "I…Well, let's just say I won't be getting close to her. She's not worth it." I shrugged, shouldering my pack and heading out the door.

"Glad you're finally taking my advice, son. I was worried she was going to be a problem." Taylor spoke after me as he followed. His voice held pride that he had finally gotten through to me, but my decision to stay distant from Ellie wasn't because of him. But I let him have his moment.

I shook my head, spotting Ellie climbing back onto her dish-faced horse. "Don't worry, she won't be an issue." I said over my shoulder. I took the reins silently from Ellie as she led Callus II over to me, but I directed my question to Joel as I settled myself in the saddle. "We done yet?"

Joel nodded, picking up a canter as we made our way out of Freedom, Wyoming.

* * *

We stopped to rest the horses at an old stable after another three or four hours of riding; I didn't keep track of the time anymore. It wasn't anywhere near evening yet, so I expected to move on past the town and into the mountains I could see on the other side. Judging by the wavy clusters of buildings in the haze of heat created by the sun, this town was at least twice as big as Freedom. What I presumed to be a giant lake glimmered to my left, walking distance from the road. Foothills rose up behind the farm, dotted with scraggly brush and trees.

Ellie kept giving me those weird looks I hated as I took a few gulps of water from the bottle in my pack. As usual, she averted my eyes every time I caught her. I was just about to tell her to quit it when she tapped Joel on the shoulder.

"Can Aaron and I wash some clothes and stock up on water at the river?" _Why can't she just fucking go with Joel? Why does it have to be me? _I mentally groaned. I didn't want to go back out into the baking sun. My t-shirt was already soaked through with sweat. I opened my mouth to protest, but the pointed look from Ellie made me clamp it shut. I rolled my eyes, emptying my pack so I could gather all the dirty clothes in it.

I have to admit, the river was a lot prettier up close. The ground was kind of rocky, but it smoothed out the closer we got to the water. The grass grew greener here compared to the yellow brush where it wasn't as wet. My boots left perfect imprints in the soggy sand as the water lapped at my feet. We weren't a hundred yards from the road, and the land had become a sort of oasis.

I dumped by pack on the sand and handed Ellie dirty laundry so she could wash it in the water. I even pulled my own shirt off, feeling the heat bake my skin as I spread myself out on the gravelly sand. I took off my boots and socks, burying my toes in the sand. I allowed myself to close my eyes for a bit and finally relax in the sun.

I was almost asleep when cold water was unceremoniously dumped on my face via my now clean, sopping wet t-shirt. I sputtered, furiously wiping the water from my stinging eyes.

"I'm not doing all the work, lazyass!" Ellie said between giggles as I gave her a murderous glare.

I hissed like a cat, annoyed that my sunbathing had been interrupted. "I'll show you lazyass." I growled, getting into a crouch as I smirked deviously. Ellie backed up, anticipating my lunge. The water lapped at her heels, which was exactly what I wanted. I grabbed the wet t-shirt from her, flinging it at her head. She ducked too late, squealing as it wrapped around her neck like a lasso.

"You did _not _just do that!" Ellie broke down laughing before a serious expression could construct itself onto her face.

I folded my arms triumphantly, sneering, "What're you gonna do about it?"

"Eat shirt, Firefly!" Ellie whipped my t-shirt back at me, snickering as it plastered itself onto my face. I stumbled back, peeling it off.

"You asked for it." I growled, lunging at her. I trapped her in a headlock as I brought us down to our knees, scrunching my shirt in the wet sand and rubbing it all over her head. She squirmed and grabbed at my arm, not that it did any good. But we were both laughing, so I knew she wasn't panicking.

Ellie suddenly threw herself to the side, escaping from the headlock, but not from me. I grabbed her wrists, pinning her ear-lobe deep in the gentle, shallow water. Her crimson hair fanned out in the water like silky reeds, alive and radiant in the sunlight. My bodyweight prevented her from getting up, and I could feel her heart hammering like a hummingbird's as my chest heaved against hers. Her eyes were vibrant and dancing like the sun off the water, the droplets on her eyelashes and skin gleaming like diamonds.

I didn't know why she wasn't shoving me off of her, like I expected her to. Maybe she was just waiting to see what I would do? Hell,_ I_ was still waiting to see what I would do. All I could hear was my own pulse loud in my ears, and the water and heat on my skin. Heat from the sun above me, from Ellie beneath me. Her breath was warm against my lips and her eyes never left mine. I wondered what she was waiting for. Why wasn't she getting up?

My eyes flitted once to her lips, pink and soft, and then twice. I moved my hands from her wrists to cup the back of her neck, supporting myself by my elbows. The tip of my nose brushed hers, and then her cheek, my eyes half-lidded. Heat raced through my veins, and my breathing picked up again as my lips just barely grazed hers…

_Wham!_

My head collided with the wet sand, the rest of my body following suit. Ellie disappeared from beneath me, cackling like a hyena as she scrubbed the wet sand from her dripping hair. I tasted the stuff on my lips, promptly spitting it out as I wiped the rest of Ellie's mud pie from my face.

"You sneaky little bitch! Do you know how long it's going to take me to get sand out of my hair?" I couldn't help but laugh, and admiration laced my voice. I was going to get Ellie back. The prank war had begun.

Ellie splashed water in my face as she tied her hair back again. She was still blushing, but whatever was going on in her head didn't show in her voice. "Pssh, stop whining like a girl. Just wash it out."

"Nu-uh, not that easy with cornrows. I have to undo it, wash it out, and then braid it again." I corrected her, but then I reminded myself I needed to re-braid them anyway. I crossed my legs beneath me as I began working on the first braid by my ear.

"Oh, whatever." Ellie nonchalantly waved a hand, grabbing my shirt and washing the sand and sweat out of it. For a while we sat like that, me tending to my hair and her scrubbing clothes clean in the river. It wasn't supposed to feel awkward, but I felt tense, anyway.

"Hey…did I…make you mad, or something? You haven't said a word to me all day, and you've kinda been ignoring me." Ellie said after a few minutes of silence.

My bitterness towards her returned, and I frowned. I knew she was going to bring it up at one point or other. Hell, that's probably why she dragged me to the river in the first place. I shrugged, scrubbing sand from my hair one undone braid at a time.

"I just don't feel like talking today." I replied simply.

Ellie turned to me, wringing out one of Joel's socks. "That's bullshit and you know it. Is it about last night? If it is, I just got scared, okay? I'm not used to guys…acting that way around me. I freaked out, and-"

"It's not about last night." I interjected, my tone harsher than I intended. I wasn't in the mood for a rant right now. I softened my voice as I saw her wince. "I heard you talking to Joel this morning."

"Yeah, so?" Ellie furrowed her brow, cocking her head at me.

I pressed my lips together to keep from snapping something I would regret at her. "So…I heard some stuff I didn't like."

It took her a moment, but the realization finally dawned on her. "Oh…yeah. How much of that did you hear?" She wrung the last shirt out, laying it out on a large rock to dry.

"Everything."

Ellie frowned. "Look…it would be kinda…dangerous for me to like you. Or you know, do things couples are supposed to do together. It's sorta hard to explain…" She mumbled, fiddling with her fingers as she sat across from me.

I had to tell her I knew what she was at some point. Here, alone, with no Joel threatening me with a gun, it seemed like a good a time as any. "I know what you are. You're infected. You're immune." I stated it like a boring fact, but Ellie's eyes widened in surprise and fear.

"Who-who told you? Was it Marlene?" Ellie stage-whispered, as if she were afraid someone would overhear her. There wasn't anybody around inside a quarter-mile radius of us.

I shook my head, though Mom did inexplicably get super-protective of Ellie and her anxiety skyrocketed right after Riley disappeared last year. She didn't directly tell me Ellie was immune. In fact, I had only realized that after her death.

"No…she didn't tell me. I sorta…figured it out on my own." I said, cracking my knuckles so my fingers wouldn't get cramped. Only one more braid to go.

"How?" Ellie said it slowly, narrowing her eyes at me.

I guessed the jig was up now. The corner of my mouth twitched downwards. "Taylor and I…aren't from Blackfoot. Hell, I barely even know where Blackfoot is. We're from St. Mary's Hospital, Salt Lake City."

I didn't know how she would react, but she just stared blankly at me for a few seconds before her face contorted with fear. She scooted away from me, her jade-green eyes getting impossibly wider. "I knew something was fishy with you two when you said you had a car! Marlene set you up, didn't she? She wants you to take me back to the hospital, doesn't she?"

I vigorously shook my head, raising my hand to placate her before she would work herself into a frenzy. "No, we didn't come to take you back!"

"Then why are you here if Marlene doesn't want me back? Why are you here if she told Joel the Fireflies stopped looking for a cure?" She shouted at me, stuffing the half-dry clothes into my pack. I flinched at the fury in her voice.

_What kind of fucking lies is Joel feeding this girl? _"Ellie, there is _nothing _left of the Fireflies at St. Mary's! That's why Taylor and I left! It was just pure coincidence that we found you guys!" I heard my voice rise, and I forced it back to a normal level by taking a deep breath.

"And Marlene?" Ellie's voice was shaking. She was afraid to know the answer, I could see it in the way her body trembled.

I stared her in the eye for a second before I spoke. "Marlene is dead." I forced the words out through clenched teeth, hating myself for saying them. Someone needed to tell her, and I doubted Joel would if he had kept it from her for this long.

The colour drained from Ellie's face. I could see the tears gathering at the edges of her eyes, hard as she tried to hold them back by taking deeper breaths. "You're lying. Joel wouldn't kill Marlene. He wouldn't slaughter those Fireflies. You're lying!" Her tears started to run freely now as she threw my pack at me with enough force to make me stumble. This time I ran after her, grabbing her arm before she could get too far.

"Ellie, someone needed to-" I began, but she was too upset to listen to me.

"Don't fucking touch me! Don't even fucking talk to me!" Ellie screeched, raking her hand across my face. I hissed as I felt the sting of her nails slicing through my cheek, and she sprinted down the path as I tasted blood on my lips.


	8. The River

I stumbled gracefully through the barn door just after Ellie. She was already spilling out everything I had told her at the beach to Joel at a mile a minute. Even I didn't understand what she was saying half the time, and I doubted Joel did, either. Taylor cocked an eyebrow when his eyes locked on the bleeding scratches on my cheek, and I furiously wiped the blood from my face like I would tears.

Joel took Ellie gently by the shoulders, setting her on a hay bale so she could calm down. He knelt in front of her, and I still couldn't believe Ellie hadn't stopped talking.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down Ellie. Tell me exactly what happened. What did Aaron say?" Joel said in the most civil tone I heard yet from him. It was almost…fatherly, the way he looked at Ellie and held her. I was surprised the man had a gentle bone in his body. An ache throbbed in me from watching them, so I looked away.

"He said-he said Marlene was-" Ellie hiccupped, but I stopped her.

I jammed my hands in my front pockets, forcing a snide smirk onto my face. "I told her the last time I saw Marlene before I left Salt Lake, she told me she missed Ellie. Annoying how girls can get so worked up, huh? You must really miss Marlene, eh Ellie?"

Ellie finally ceased yapping, her jaw dropping open just a little. Peace finally filled my ears. My smirk wasn't so forced anymore. Taylor imperceptibly nodded in approval at my cover-up.

"What? That is so not-" I interrupted Ellie again before she could start another rant.

"Do you have to have a hissy fit _every _time I try to kiss you?" I mock-sighed, belatedly realizing I just drew a double-edged sword. I got Ellie to shut up, but now Joel was about to kill me.

Joel slowly rose from the barn floor, a provoked bear standing on its hind legs. "You tried to do _what _to Ellie?" His voice was a dangerous growl, but I stood my ground. Joel advanced on me, pulling out his revolver. I barely registered the click, my heart was beating so loud in my ears.

Taylor placed a hand on Joel's shoulder, stopping him. I let out the breath I had been holding. Taylor wouldn't let Joel kill me. Taylor was on my side.

"Let me handle this. Put the gun down, Joel." Taylor instructed calmly, like he was a teacher giving a lecture. "I'll show you the proper way to punish this boy." My breath caught in my throat again, and fear trickled down my spine as it turned to jelly. I had forgotten my father didn't care about who he beat me in front of. I had just realized that a lot of the time it was in front of guards. Taylor was a guard back in Boston.

Ellie stood behind Joel, watching me with a mixture of satisfaction and worry. Joel shoved his revolver back into his holster, his expression the same as a boulder's. I turned my attention back to Taylor when he roughly shoved me backwards shouting, "What did Joel tell you not to do, boy?"

The fear invaded my mind, storming the walls of my common sense. I looked up again and I saw a man with dark skin like mine, a bulky muscle tone, and onyx eyes. His full lips were pulled back into a snarl as his square jaw moved when he bellowed at me again, "What'd you do wrong, son? Are you fucking deaf?"

"I…I tried to kiss Ellie…Sir." I squeaked in reply, gasping a little as my father knocked me down on the dirty, concrete floor in the Firefly hideout in Boston. Two guards were watching this time.

"I can't hear you, boy!" Dad's baritone made my ears ring like a grenade explosion.

"I tried to kiss Ellie." I replied, a bit louder this time. My father's beatings always had a routine. First came the acknowledgement of what I did wrong, then came the reprimand. One punch to the face and six kicks to the ribs and stomach. The fourth one was always the hardest because he was halfway done, but there was still more to go. As usual, I tried to scuttle away, but the punch slammed the side of my head into the floor. It stayed glued to the concrete, and the guards' Firefly uniforms glittered with stars.

The first kick connected with my ribs. I couldn't breathe for a second. The air came back in an audible gasp. The guards laughed mockingly, and I gritted my teeth. Bastards.

"Are you going to disobey Joel again?" My father boomed, and I shook my head. Kick number two almost made me throw up my meager breakfast. "I said, are you going to disobey Joel again?"

This time I answered verbally. If I answered verbally, the kicks weren't as hard. "No, Sir." I peeped, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Are you going to kiss Ellie again?" Dad questioned, aiming a steel-toed boot to my ribs. I tried not to curl up and whimper, but the pathetic sound escaped my lips anyway. I couldn't breathe again, but a part of me was glad we were halfway through.

Pain tore through my body as the fourth kick impacted the back of my skull. The pain slipped away for a second, and my thoughts lulled. I relaxed. Then everything tensed up again and my eyes snapped open when the fifth kick smashed into my stomach. I didn't hear the question, there were too many bees in my ears. But I answered, "No, Sir," just to be safe.

I heard a different voice, one that didn't belong to my father. One of the guards spoke up, jeering at me. I ignored him. "Are you going to do it again?" My father demanded.

"No, Sir." I whimpered.

The last kick made it so difficult to breathe, my brain temporarily shut down again.

* * *

"Take it easy, Aaron." Ellie's alto floated around my ears, bringing me out of the darkness. I blinked my eyes open, and I instantly regretted it. The dim light inside the barn was too harsh. I moaned in pain as the back of my skull and ribs throbbed. I instinctively curled up, my breaths coming quick and short for a minute before I reminded myself how to breathe normally.

I glanced around for the redhead, discovering her sitting beside me on the hay bale. She had a sympathetic look on her face, and I wondered why. Not too long ago she wanted nothing to do with me. Now she was pitying me? Girls were weird…they couldn't pick a side.

"Joel's outside with Taylor, letting the horses graze. As much as he doesn't like you, he doesn't agree with Taylor's method of punishment. He said it was overkill." Ellie shrugged, and I heard the hay on the ground swish as she rose from the bale.

"I thought you weren't talking to me?" I almost laughed, but it hurt my ribs too much. "And shooting me in the head for trying to kiss you isn't overkill?" I settled for sarcasm.

The corner of Ellie's mouth twitched, like she wanted to smile but was holding herself back. "I changed my mind. Joel's…overprotective."

"That's an understatement." I snorted.

"I wouldn't have let him kill you, if it makes you feel better. Joel just likes to scare people because it's easier than trusting them. But I don't think he'll let Taylor do that to you again. I'm sorry that happened to you in Boston. It must've been horrible, being ignored by your mom and beat by your dad…" Ellie sighed, sitting behind me where I couldn't see her.

"Joel and Taylor told me Marlene's still alive and in Salt Lake…I don't know why you like to mess with me so much. Stealing my comics is one thing, but saying she's dead is a little over the top, don't you think?" Ellie continued, and I felt a prickle at the back of my neck. I automatically moved my head away, but I dared not move it any more than that.

I bit my lip, but she couldn't see it. I decided that if Joel and Taylor didn't think she was ready yet, then I had no right to dump it on her a second time. I felt the prickle again and I snapped at her, "What are you _doing_?"

"I'm bored, I want to play with your hair. It looked so fuzzy back at the beach." Ellie simply replied, and I groaned in response, but I let her undo one of my braids. I had no idea why anyone would be fascinated with my hair, but I was in too much pain to protest. Plus, it felt kind of good when her fingers made the back of my neck tingle. Her touch was light and hesitant, almost shy. Shyness and Ellie didn't seem to mix.

A comfortable silence settled over us. I could hear the horses snort and swish their tails outside the barn door, and the pigeons croon in the rafters. The occasional fly got too close to my face, but Ellie swatted it away. "So…tell me about Joel. Is he like your uncle, or something?" I asked, and I was about to say father, but then I remembered Ellie's mother had a husband, and he had died, too.

Ellie took a moment to reply. Her hands moved down to my shoulders, and I noticed I hadn't put my shirt back on. I wasn't keen on displaying the bruises, but she seemed to be more concerned with massaging the tension out of my muscles than giving me another pitying look. Her fingers made tiny circles at the base of my neck and the between my shoulder blades, gentle but with just the right amount of pressure to make me sigh contentedly.

"Joel's not related to me. He can be a real grouch sometimes, but he's not all mean. He knows how to act like a dad. Your dad didn't know how to act like a dad if he thought beating you unconscious was 'the proper method of punishment'." Ellie scoffed at the last phrase, just as I felt the last of the tension slip away from underneath her fingers.

"Joel never does that to you? He seems like the type of person who would. And when did you learn how to massage people? You're damn good at it. Pretty soon you're gonna make me moan." I smirked when she stopped, indicating to me that I got to her.

I heard her fake-chuckle behind me. "Guys are _way _too easy to turn on." I couldn't see her roll her eyes, but I could practically hear it in her voice.

"Because you would know, right?" I laughed as I turned over, pillowing the back of my head with my arm. By the way her jaw clenched, I knew she was resisting the urge to whack me. The only reason she didn't was because I had already been beat enough.

Ellie crossed her arms, wrinkling her ski slope nose at me. "Oh, please. I've never heard a guy moan in my life."

I smiled devilishly up at her. "Then allow me." I cleared my throat dramatically. "Ellie…_Ellie, _don't stop!" I drew out her name in my best near-orgasm beg. The way she instantly blushed and her eyes widened made me forget why my head hurt.

"_That's _what it sounds like? Oh man…" Ellie bit her lip, not meeting my eyes. I only laughed harder, but my ribs ached, so I had to stop.

The barn door banged open, sending a jolt through my body. It sounded too much like a gunshot. Taylor and Joel walked in, leading two horses each. The hooves thudding on the ground of the barn sent vibrations through my head, enough to make it swim. The former glared at me, and I leered back. I had to convince myself I wasn't afraid of him. But the kicked puppy in me wanted to cower so badly, it was almost overwhelming.

Taylor tied the horses to one of the stall doors and jutted his silver-haired chin out at me. "Get up and tack your horse up, Aaron. We're moving out." He ordered, like he hadn't just beat me unconscious. I bet he knew perfectly well that I could barely move my head.

Joel raised a bushy eyebrow at Taylor. "I don't like your boy, Taylor, but aren't you being a little harsh? You just whopped his ass and now you're expecting him to work?" I couldn't believe Joel was actually _defending_ me. Ellie must've convinced him. No way that man had _that _much of a heart.

Taylor pushed past Joel in the narrow aisle, striding over to me. He hauled me up by digging his filthy fingernails into my now rigid shoulders, erasing the effects of Ellie's massage. My head spun, and I held onto the stall door for dear life as he shoved me against it. "I said tack up your horse, boy. Go on." Taylor hissed at me, nodding towards Callus II.

"Taylor, leave the kid alone." Joel warned, and the silver-haired man shot him a harsh glare. Joel met his eyes with ease.

"He's my responsibility, Joel. Keep out of this." Taylor replied calmly. Joel appeared to come to his senses, because he shrugged and let the other man thrust me across the aisle, and Callus II's hindquarters was the only thing keeping me from falling over. Even the horse seemed to pity me. He bobbed his copper head, keeping one gentle brown eye and one ear fixed on me.

Ellie handed me the brush, and despite the throbbing in my head, I grit my teeth and groomed the horse so Taylor wouldn't have an excuse to kick me again. I took deliberate, deep breaths to keep the pain in my ribs at a minimum, and eventually I stopped wanting to coddle myself and I started pushing through the pain like I was so used to doing with my father.

Eventually we all had our horses tacked up and were ready to go. I put another shirt on and stepped outside, Callus II plodding along behind me out the barn door. I hissed and squeezed my eyes shut at the intense light of the sun blazing down on me, and I vigorously shook my head to get the sun-spots off the back of my retinas.

I swayed a little as I clambered up onto my horse's back, hiding the moment of weakness from Taylor's hawk-like gaze under the guise of gathering up my reins. I pushed down the urge to whimper from the pounding my head was taking. The grass was blurry at the side of the road, and everything was too bright. I wanted desperately to sleep, but I pushed my horse forward so that I was walking along beside Ellie's pony.

"You feeling okay? You look kinda pale." Ellie muttered to me under her breath. She knew Taylor was listening.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me. I just have a bit of a headache." I quietly replied back, squeezing my eyes shut to let a dizzy spell pass. When I opened them again, the concerned expression hadn't left Ellie's face.

"I can ride with you if you think you're going to pass out again." Ellie offered, and I threw her a suspicious glance.

"Joel and Taylor won't like that." I protested. Ellie nodded and dropped the subject, falling silent. We rode like that into town, but the quiet was tense instead of comfortable. The birds filled in the conversation we were supposed to be having, and I was surprised when we rode past the first real buildings that the silence wasn't broken by Infected shrieks and moans.

I was too busy trying to stay awake in the saddle to notice that the main road we were riding down didn't have Infected wandering in aimless directions. Large towns like this were usually full of them. I estimated that we should have been rushed by a Clicker or two by now. But the streets were peaceful.

"Where are all the Infected?" Ellie decided to voice my thoughts. She must've seen my confused look.

Joel furrowed his brow as he turned to Ellie. "I don't know…but if there aren't Infected, that means there has to be someone who's killing them off. Keep your eyes open for snipers, Ellie." He pointed down one of the smaller streets on our right. "Taylor, we're going to take a side-street if that's all right with you and Aaron. I don't like being out in the open here. We'll meet up with you at that bridge on the other side." He and Ellie turned their horses down a street I noticed was called "Short St". I made to follow them, not wanting to be left alone with Taylor, but he grabbed the reins of my horse before I could trot off with the pair.

"I'm going with Joel and Ellie." I indignantly snapped at my guardian as I yanked my reins back. Taylor just reached over and held them tighter in his fist. "Why can't I go with them?" Some of my rebellious teenage blood boiled at being denied what I wanted.

Taylor glanced over his shoulder at Joel and Ellie's shrinking forms down Short St. Then he looked to me again, his eyes were hungry. I didn't want to know what would satiate him. "When we get to the bridge, there'll be an ambush. I want you to stick to me like glue so you don't get a stray bullet in your head, understand? We can finally end this goose chase and go home."

I have him a suspicious look. An uneasy feeling churned and twisted in my stomach, but it wasn't because my ribs were aching. "How do you know there will be an ambush?" I asked warily, never taking my eyes off him.

"Did you think I'd really come all this way without a back-up plan? I'm not stupid, Aaron. I sent a group ahead of us in case you decided to chicken out. I know not to depend on a _kid_ to do the dirty work." Taylor spat at me, and that churning felt like acid lapping at my insides. It left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

"Ellie and Joel's horses were ours, weren't they? Are you saying we killed our _own men_ back in the forest?" I half-shouted. I brushed the insult off, but I knew he was right. I didn't have it in me to kill Joel. Taylor had known that from the start. But to kill our _friends_…I wanted to curl up and weep for them. "Taylor…" My voice died down to a whimper. I begged him to tell me it wasn't true.

"We did what we had to in order to earn Ellie and Joel's trust. I didn't want to kill them either, but we'll repay their sacrifices when we get to the bridge. I have six horsemen waiting there, armed to the teeth. They'll be more than happy to kill Ellie and Joel." Taylor reassured me, but I felt far from comforted.

"Ellie didn't kill those Fireflies. Why does she have to die?" I felt sick. I wanted to throw up.

Taylor rolled his eyes, like he already knew I would ask the question. "I don't _want_ to shoot the girl. With eight against two, it's not like she would have much of a chance, anyway. And if they don't die in the firefight, the river will rip them to shreds. With the dam upstream broken, there's a lot more water flowing in the Snake than there used to be. With the spring meltdown, the river will be even more brutal. They won't feel a thing." He waved a hand, like this was a casual conversation instead of a murder plot. I pricked my ears as I heard the rushing water a half-mile away. The roiling current writhed and frothed at the concrete barrier under the bridge, surging away into the valley between the mountains.

"So…what'll be my job?" I was almost too afraid to ask.

Taylor jabbed a finger at my sternum, and I held back a wince as he hit a tender spot. "You will make sure you don't get yourself shot, or fall into the river. You're clumsy enough without a concussion."

"Are…are you sure you want to do this, Taylor? I mean, we could just leave Ellie alive and take her back with us…" I ducked my head at his harsh glare.

"Don't tell me you're getting cold feet, boy." Taylor growled, and I straightened up to make myself look less like the chicken-wuss he knew I was.

"I'm not!"

"Then why do you want Ellie to live? She _replaced_ you as your mother's child. You _hate _her." Taylor reminded me, but I only felt a fraction of the anger I should've been feeling. It was directed at him, not Ellie. I averted my gaze, biting my lip. "Oh, I get it. You want a little _slut _to play with on the way back."

I stepped into the trap before my sluggish mind could dodge it. "Don't call her that! She did nothing to you!"

"I'm disappointed in you, Aaron. You should know better than to be won over by the man who murdered your mother and his little ginger bitch." Taylor shook his head at me, and the anger boiled higher.

My lips curled back into a snarl. "Mom always said you had a screw loose. She was right." I snapped, thinking back to the comments I heard my mother say under her breath every time Taylor finished talking with her. I tugged my reins out of Taylor's grasp and cantered off before he could stop me. I heard hoofbeats behind me, and I knew Taylor caught on to my plan before I did.

I had to stop Ellie and Joel from getting to that bridge. The problem was, I had no clue how to do it. As far as I knew, that bridge was the only intact thing for miles that connected the land on both sides of the river.

I spurred Callus II into a gallop, hunting desperately for any sign of Joel or Ellie. I spotted a flash of a silver tail swishing behind the corner of an old motel. I yanked Callus II's head in that direction, and his body swung outwards as he threw his head up in irritation. _Sorry, boy…_

I wanted to call out to them, but as far as I knew, I couldn't risk Taylor locating me. For the moment I had lost him, but I knew it wouldn't be long until he found me again. I rounded the corner of the motel, sticking to the side of the road so I wouldn't give my horse away.

Callus II almost crashed into Ellie's pony, and she turned her horse around with a surprised-and highly irritated-expression on her face. Joel raised a questioning eyebrow as he halted his ebony horse. "What the hell was that about, you-" Ellie started, but I cut across her.

"Ellie, shut up for a second and listen to me. We need to turn around." I forced out as I caught my breath-inhaling was a very painful activity.

"Why? Did you run into Infected? Where's Taylor?" Joel asked as he threw worried glances at the alleys, feeding off my anxiety.

"Taylor's planning an-" I clamped my mouth shut as I heard hoofbeats behind me. _Shit…_

Taylor rode up next to me, breathless like I was. I could hear his spotted horse panting, too. "There you are, how many times do I have to tell you not to run off like that? Runners can still see you, ya know!" He scolded me, but I dared not look at him.

"There are Infected? Where are they?" Joel drew his revolver, listening hard. To my surprise, I actually did hear the shrieks of a couple Clickers down the street, where I had just come from. If I squinted, I could just make out orange fungal plates bobbing haphazardly around a beat-up white car about three blocks away. I guess the resident Fireflies didn't clear out _all _the houses.

"If there are more of them, I don't want to go back that way. Let's get on out of here, shall we?" Taylor smiled, but I could tell it was fake. He was leading Ellie and Joel right to their deaths. I didn't like Joel a whole lot, but he was important to Ellie. I understood that much. And I sure as hell didn't want to see Ellie get killed at that bridge. I'm not saying I didn't want Joel dead, but…if I wanted to save one, I had to save both.

"No!" I shouted out, and then I realized I didn't know what to say after that. Joel, Ellie, and Taylor looked at me expectantly. Taylor's fingers wrapped around the pistol in his holster. "I mean, uhh…let's take the main road. We'll get to the bridge faster that way."

Taylor's fingers relaxed and he nodded in agreement. Joel and Ellie shrugged, urging their horses into a canter. I bet they figured the non-existent Hunters would have a harder time hitting a faster-moving target. Taylor and I loped after them, and my heart threatened to tear itself to shreds from regret.

What have I done?

I did exactly what Taylor wanted me to.

When we got to the bridge, the horses balked at the raging water surging beneath it. I urged Callus II on inch by inch, but he could feel my anxiety. Thinking it was about the water, he didn't want to move forward. The water was the least of my worries.

Eventually, we got to the middle of the bridge. Ellie squinted at something in the distance. "Hey…who are those guys?" I followed her gaze and the already cold blood in my veins turned to ice. The icy tendrils extended down my spine, freezing my body in place. At the other end of the bridge, three horses stood side-by-side, blocking the exit.

"Fireflies." Taylor answered simply. I glanced behind me and gulped. The three remaining horsemen barricaded the only other way out.

Joel cocked his head at Taylor. "How'd you know that?"

Taylor smiled easily, leaning on his saddle horn. He puffed his chest out proudly. I made myself look as small as possible in the saddle. "'Cause I sent them."

Ellie's eyes widened in fear. "You set us up! What the fuck, Taylor?" She threw a helpless glance at me, but I kept my gaze fixed on my horse's copper mane.

"This is what you get for messing with the Fireflies, Joel." Taylor laughed mockingly, and Ellie gave the black-haired man a confused look. I reminded myself she didn't know he slaughtered almost all of our men back in Salt Lake. Taylor drew his gun and shot upwards. The horses on both ends picked up a gallop.

Ellie and Joel ducked as bullets whizzed by from both directions. The paved, cracked bridge trembled under the thundering of the horses' hooves, and I kept my head low to avoid the crossfire as Joel and Ellie shot back. They were too busy trying to fend off the advancing Fireflies, but I could imagine the obscenities Ellie would be shouting at me right now.

_How could you, Aaron? _I heard myself ask.

_I fucking trusted you! _I imagined Ellie's voice yelling at me.

_She would have been your girlfriend…_My mental voice chided.

_If they survive, Joel will kill you. _I said to myself.

The guilt bore down on me, invading my head and amplifying my headache tenfold. The horses crashed into each other at full gallop. Screaming-both equine and human-filled my ears as chaos erupted on the bridge. Somehow I got thrown off my horse as another tumbled off the bridge and into the merciless water.

_The water. _I pulled out my Magnum, putting a bullet into the head of a Firefly trying to whack Joel with the butt of his rifle. He threw me a grateful glance before taking on the next one in line. I saw a red flash of hair to my right, and I moved toward it, focusing all my energy on getting to Ellie. I already had a bullet lined up for the Firefly's trying to slice her to bits with a hunting knife.

I saw Taylor's gun too late. I aimed at the Firefly's head, but the shot missed when my guardian must've realized I wasn't on his side anymore. White-hot pain seared up my left upper arm, and I clutched it with my gun hand, my Magnum dangling from my fingers. I dropped it when Taylor's elbow slammed into the space between my shoulder blades. It spun away, tumbling off the edge of the bridge and into oblivion.

"Going to help that bitch of yours, boy? I don't think so." Taylor dragged me back by my collar, just as I heard Ellie scream. Joel and I seemed to have the same thought because I noticed him freeze out of the corner of my eye. But there were too many bucking and rearing horses in his way, and I was closer.

"Ellie!" I called out, thrusting my good arm upwards, jabbing Taylor's chin with my elbow. The redhead turned at the sound of her name, her jade eyes wild and fierce as they met mine. Free from my captor, I closed the distance between us just as she removed her switchblade from her attacker's neck. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her head to my chest as I felt weightlessness envelope me for a second.

Then water replaced the air in my lungs, and I didn't know which way was up as the icy river closed its jaws around my bleeding, battered body, swallowing its next victim.


	9. Closer

After what I perceived to be only a few seconds of complete darkness and silence, the air in my lungs returned and I heard nothing but roaring in my ears. Bright, white light burned my eyes and my ribs felt like somebody had taken a sledgehammer to them. I rolled over, hacking up water like a Boston alley cat did a hairball. The roar in my ears died down a little, and as soon as I could breathe less painfully again, I glanced behind me to find the source.

The Snake writhed and roiled, the white rapids spraying water across the rocky beach and battering the slick boulders jutting out from the riverbed like fangs. My face went slack, and I felt like passing out again. How the hell did I survive _that_?

"You okay, Aaron?" I heard a familiar female voice ask me, and I turned my head to the left. I was met with worried, jade-green eyes, and I couldn't help but grin.

"I'm just a little bruised. How about you, Ellie? How badly did the river chew you up and spit you out?" I mirrored her concerned gaze as I hauled myself up onto all-fours. I immediately collapsed onto my chest again, my left arm giving out like a snapped twig. _Okay, maybe I'm not fine. _I thought as I let out a pathetic moan of pain. Fire seared my left upper arm, burning all the way up to my neck. It left behind an ache like the one I had grown accustomed to in my head.

Ellie narrowed her eyes at the wound in my shoulder, wringing the water out of her auburn hair. She was drenched from head to toe, and my clothes felt heavy, too. If we didn't dry them out by nightfall, we would both succumb to hypothermia.

"You got shot." Ellie stated the obvious, shrugging off her backpack and digging out a medical kit. Thank God those things were made of waterproof plastic. She gingerly took my arm, dabbing it dry with gauze. I hissed like the river on the rocks, but I didn't pull away as she poured alcohol on a rag and applied it to my arm. Blood ran from the wound, staining the rocks beneath me red before they were washed clean by the Snake's spray.

Once she had dressed my gunshot wound and I was cleared, I slowly sat up inch by inch, letting each wave of dizziness pass until I was fully upright. Ellie watched me with that same concern in her eyes, and I noticed she wasn't keen to pack up and leave like I expected. After the trap I (indirectly) led her and Joel into, I honestly had no idea why she was still hanging around.

"Why are you here? With me, I mean? Shouldn't you be looking for Joel?" I asked her with more harshness than I intended, clutching my arm to stem the flow of blood. Pain made me snappy.

Ellie glanced down at her knees for a second, bunching the fabric of her hoodie in her hands. Even she looked unsure of why she was here. "After I made sure you were breathing, I tried, but…I couldn't find him. He must've washed up further downstream, or…" She trailed off, her expression suddenly switching to furious.

"This is your fault!" Ellie yelled at me, standing up to tower over me, "Why'd you have to throw me in the river, huh? We could've died! You abandoned Joel on that bridge, and now he could be dead because we weren't there to back him up! You're no better than Taylor!"

I yelped as her boot connected with a tender spot on my side. Ellie moodily plopped herself down beside me again, ripping up the grass that poked up between the rocks. I winced as I controlled my breathing, trying not to hyperventilate at the pain.

"Ellie…I did that for a reason. Joel cares a lot about you, right?" I asked between coughs.

Ellie nodded, twirling a strand of her coppery hair between her fingers. "Yeah…so what if he does?"

"If he cares as much about you as I think he does, than he wouldn't have thought twice about jumping into that river after you. Did you really think we had that much of a chance with three of us against _seven _Fireflies?" I continued, my voice raspy from coughing up so much water.

I could tell by the furrow in her brow that she wanted to say yes, but eventually she bit her lip and shook her head. "I…I guess not. Not with so little cover and nowhere to run. But why'd you do it? I thought you and Taylor were a team? Why would you just switch to my side?"

_I didn't want you to die. _That would've been my first answer, but then I thought I would probably get kicked for it again. I didn't want to sound like I wanted to be her hero (even though sometimes I did), and besides, Ellie didn't need a hero. "We _were _a team…until Taylor beat the shit out of me and expected me to go along with his plan to kill you and Joel."

Ellie bobbed her head in affirmation, unzipping her hoodie and wringing the water out. She had a gray-gone-black t-shirt underneath, and I spied the bite mark on her wrist in the sunlight. She didn't seem keen on hiding it from me since I already knew she was immune, but she caught me looking at it and shot me a glare.

"You were planning it all along, weren't you? To kill me and Joel?" She queried accusingly, shrugging her red hoodie back on. She untied her boots, shaking the water out of them and wringing out her socks.

"_I _wasn't, but you saw Taylor. He had a group waiting to ambush you here and even I didn't know about it. Not until he told me, anyway. That's why I wanted you to turn around, but…then those Clickers showed up." I lifted my good shoulder, frowning.

"Yeah, well…can you stand up? I want to look for Joel again." Ellie said, and she hesitated like she wanted to say something else, but then changed her mind. I nodded, picking myself up off the rocks. I wobbled a bit, and Ellie put a hand on my shoulder to steady me.

We walked for a few minutes, the chirping birds and rushing river filling the silence between us. We weaved our way between the trees and tall grass bordering the river, and I noticed that on the other side a road hugged a steep, bushy ridge; the beginnings of the mountains I had seen from the other side of the town we had just passed though.

"So…how'd you get that scar on your leg?" Ellie questioned in an attempt to break the silence.

I remembered she caught a glimpse of it back in Freedom, before I could cover it up again. "It's just a burn scar I got as a kid, from a Molotov or something. I was too young to remember what happened."

"Didn't look like a burn scar to me. It was all bubbly like mine, see?" Ellie pulled back the sleeve of her hoodie, displaying her bite mark.

I chuckled, shaking my head. This girl had a sick sense of humor. I sat down on a nearby boulder, pulling up my pant leg to show her the scar on my calf. She knelt beside me, inspecting the warped, twisted area of skin. "I did _not _get bit by Infected. If I did, I would've been shot in the head when I was two or three."

"Maybe not bit, but scratched. See this long indent, here?" She lightly traced her finger down my calf, and I resisted the urge to close my eyes and shiver. I bent my head, following the path her finger made as she discerned another indent right beside it, and then a third, shorter one.

We exchanged a glance, communicating the same message. _Scratch marks._

"I am _not _immune, Ellie. No way I got scratched by a Clicker and lived." I let go of my pant leg, standing up and shaking my head so hard my neck hurt.

"Well, it sure as shit ain't a burn scar! Burn scars don't look like scratches and they don't have those little circles!" Ellie protested, but I clapped a hand over her mouth and pulled her into the safety of the darker forest. She squirmed and tried to wriggle out of my grip, but I pointed across the river and she stopped, eyes wide.

A black and white-patched horse loped down the road on the other side, in the shadow of the ridge. Its clopping hoof beats echoed up and down the valley like a death knell, but I didn't recognize the rider. I did, however, recognize the black Firefly emblem embroidered on the saddle pad.

"They're looking for us. Shouldda known Taylor wouldn't give up the chase…" I mumbled to myself, releasing Ellie once I figured she would have the sense to be quiet. We watched the horse canter on until it we couldn't see it anymore.

"We have to hide somewhere until we can find Joel and get out of here. Do you still have your gun?" Ellie asked me, resuming trekking through the conifers.

"Naw. It fell off the bridge while I was fighting Taylor. Do you have any weapons?"

Ellie pulled her bow off her back, which had somehow survived the journey through the river, and nocked an arrow from the bundle of them sticking out of her pack. "Here, you can have my pistol. I'm better with arrows, anyway." She tossed me the black gun, and I stuck it in the waistband of my camo pants.

"Where would Joel be whenever you got separated from him?" I asked after we had walked another dozen meters.

Ellie shrugged, hopping across a couple of rocks by the water. It was getting harder and harder to stay hidden in the trees since the land was so steep by the river. Eventually, we would have to risk crossing to the other side and walking on the flatter portion of the grassy land skirting the water.

"Obvious landmarks, I guess. We didn't get separated a lot, but we always decided to meet at a landmark if we ever got lost…only, we didn't have time to agree on one before you jumped off the bridge with me." Ellie said, hugging a tree trunk as she stepped from one rock to another.

"I see nothing but trees, trees, and more trees up ahead. Who knows when we're going to run into a cabin, or something? I hate sleeping on the ground in front of a shitty campfire." I complained, scanning the other side of the river for a suitable crossing point.

Ellie shot me another one of her glares. She seemed to glare at me a lot these days. "Alright Princess Buttercup, we'll see if we can find you a five-star cabin with all the fixings." She drawled, sarcasm dripping from her words. This time I leered back.

"No need to be bitchy," I retorted, "I just don't like roughing it in the boonies. I'm not the outdoorsy type, okay? You may be fine with creepy bugs, cold nights, and all your little wild animal friends, but I'm not. I like a warm bed with the guarantee of food in the morning."

Ellie just rolled her eyes, sighing as she came to a stop. I understood why; there were no more rocks to hop across, just water lapping at tree roots. The river was considerably calmer now, with no more white rapids to hiss and spit in my face.

Ellie gazed across at the other side of the river. There were more trees to hide us from the road over there, but her hoodie was a dead giveaway amidst the green pines. "We're going to have to cross if we're gonna put distance between us and Taylor's goons."

"I can swim. Can you?" I queried, eyeing Ellie as she bit her lip anxiously. That was all I needed to know. "How'd you get across water with Joel, then?"

"Wooden pallets, usually. Or we would just avoid the water altogether. Why is it everybody can swim but me?" Ellie groaned, stepping cautiously into the water, one toe at a time. She shoved her arrow back into her pack and strung the bow across her chest. I followed, wading in until I couldn't reach the bottom anymore. The current wasn't too strong, and even with my injured arm I could still cross the small distance to the other side.

The water chilled my wet skin, seizing my muscles enough to make me shiver. I couldn't spend too long in the water. I glanced behind me after a few strokes, grinning encouragingly at Ellie. She hadn't gone in past her waist, and I could tell she was having trouble keeping her balance on the rocks underneath the surface. The current would carry her away from her perch if she tipped forward far enough, and we didn't need to attract Fireflies with her splashing and sputtering.

I swam over to her, offering her my hand. "C'mon, let's get moving. Grab my hand and I'll help you across." I said, my teeth chattering. The freezing water sapped more strength from me with every second I spent in the river.

"I can't swim, moron! Isn't there a log we could use, or something?" Ellie glanced around, but the effort was futile. When she realized there wasn't any other way, she reluctantly took my hand and waded in until she couldn't reach the bottom, practically whimpering the whole way.

"Trust me, okay? I won't let you drown." I crooned as I felt the last foothold disappear from beneath my feet.

That's when Ellie started panicking. She clamped her arms around my neck, frantically kicking and muttering obscenities under her breath, which I could plainly hear. Unfortunately, I needed both arms to keep us afloat, and she was dragging me down more than helping me.

"Ellie! Calm down! We're almost halfway across, see?" I choked out, struggling to breathe with the vice grip Ellie had on my neck. It didn't help that she was as good as dead weight, pulling my head underwater every five seconds.

"I-I-I can't r-r-reach the b-bottom…" Ellie squeaked, hyperventilating in my ear. If she kept up like this, she _would _be dead weight. I had to find a way to calm her down before she passed out and drowned us both.

I continued my sidestroke, "Just, uhh, kick the same time as me, okay? And don't hold on so tight, you're choking me." Ellie nodded, loosening her grip just a fraction. Her breaths still came in quick, shallow gasps, but she eventually got the rhythm and matched her kicks to mine. With occasional (and by that I mean _frequent_) panic spells, we reached the other side just before my arms and legs were about to seize up for good from the cold.

Once we were both on dry land, I shook myself off like a wet dog while Ellie rocked herself back and forth on the grass, audibly chattering her teeth. I chuckled a little, removing my t-shirt to wring it out before putting it back on. I did the same for my socks, dumping the water out of my boots.

"Ellie, we gotta find Joel. And put our hoodie in your backpack, I don't want those guys spotting us. You stand out like a sore thumb in that thing." I shivered, waving a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Ellie…you hear me?"

Ellie whacked my hand away, shrugging off the red plaid piece of clothing and wringing the water from it. "Yeah, I hear you. Don't make me do that again, okay? I've had enough near-death experiences for one week." She snapped at me, removing her shoes and a decent amount of water from them.

"Good, then move. Maybe we can squeeze in a few more once those Fireflies find your lazy ass and fire a bullet into it." I quipped, shouldering my pack and making my way up the incline. Pine trees formed a barrier between the road and the river, but it wasn't anywhere near as steep as the other side. My gauze was soaked and useless, so I fished a medical kit from my pack and began to replace it.

"Here, let me." Ellie finally got over her shock from crossing the river, gingerly taking the gauze from my hands and wrapping my gunshot wound. I smiled briefly at her when she was done, my fuse still short from the sharp ache in my ribs, arm, and now everywhere else after crossing the river with a panicky fifteen-year old who didn't know how to swim.

"Hey…Aaron?" Ellie called after me, stuffing the gauze into her bag.

I whipped around with an irritated, "What now, Ellie?"

I saw the clear hesitation on her sun-dappled face, her auburn hair vibrant among the dropping pine branches even if it was dripping wet. A moment passed, and I was about to turn around again when she sidled up to me and gently wrapped her arms around my neck. She nestled her head under my chin, and I stiffened like I expected her to stab me in the back with her switchblade. I could tell just by the way she held her breath that she was tense, too.

I waited impatiently for the awkward hug to end, blowing drying strands of Ellie's hair away as I sighed quietly through my nose. I tapped my fingers against my thigh as I thought, _is she done yet?_

"Thanks…for, you know, not letting me drown. And for…saving me from those Fireflies." Ellie said so quietly I had to strain my ears to hear her. She disentangled her hands from my neck, biting her lip in that cute way girls did when they were nervous. Apparently she wasn't one for grateful speeches, but then again, I wasn't one who wanted to hear them.

Ellie stood up on her toes, timidly pecking my cheek before brushing past me like nothing just happened between us. I arched an eyebrow after her, shaking my head as a stupid grin stretched across my face.

_You're so weird, Ellie…_

It was wiped off my face when I heard a rifle shot crack across the valley like a bullwhip, followed by her scream of agony.

**A/N: There you go, some fluff and lighter material to get the character development flowing. Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers, followers, favouriters, and readers! Keep those comments coming, they make my day!**


	10. Trapped

"Ellie!" I shouted as the auburn-haired girl fell to her knees, clutching her right arm. Blood oozed from between her fingers, and we both snapped our heads up as something big crashed through the trees. It made snorting noises and was coloured like a penguin.

"I found her, Taylor! Got her right in the shoulder, too!" The rider yelled triumphantly as he gave a jovial whoop, hopping off his black and white horse. He stumbled through the undergrowth with a maniacal grin on his face, which spread impossibly wider when his dull brown eyes landed on me.

"Well, so Taylor was right! You did bring her to the rendezvous point, Aaron!" The Firefly clapped me on the shoulder, a little too roughly for my liking. I shoved him off of me as Ellie gave me a questioning glance.

I pulled out Ellie's gun, cocking it. "Leave her alone, man. She's not the one you want." I attempted to say it as a threat, but it came out as more of a whine. Damn adolescence.

To my surprise, the Firefly nodded. "I know, but lil' Ellie here is going to help us get him. Aren't you, Ellie?" He ruffled her hair, and she viciously yanked his wrist so that he was the one on the ground. The orange-haired man stumbled and landed on the pine needles with a grunt, vigorously shaking his head. I didn't need the cue twice.

Grabbing Ellie under her arm, I slammed my boot into the man's skull as she scrambled onto the horse. I got on behind her, clamping my thighs around the horse's flanks to keep from falling off as we ascended the hill at a lope.

"Nice job back there. We make a good team." I smiled in Ellie's ear as we broke through the dim trees and onto the bumpy blacktop.

Right into Taylor's clutches.

He had a few ugly, purple bruises on his scruffy face, probably courtesy of Joel. I wanted to know where he went as much as Taylor did, but not for the same reasons. If they were still looking, that meant they knew Joel had survived the battle on the bridge. How, I had absolutely no idea, but I've learned not to underestimate him. Unfortunately, so had Taylor and his cronies.

"You saved Ellie. Good work, boy. Did you kill Harvey?" Taylor nodded in approval at me, and I bared my teeth in reply.

"That had nothing to do with you, old man. Harvey's unconscious." I spat, jerking a thumb over my shoulder.

"I'll forgive your earlier betrayal because you kept our bait safe. Of course, I'll punish you for that later, but now we have more important things to do. Come on, let's get back to town." Taylor waved me on as he urged his horse into a walk. I recognized the ebony coat of the animal. It was Joel's horse. I had no idea where the spotted one went, but I assumed it had perished in the fight. Taylor gestured to the forest, and one of his goons went and retrieved Harvey.

Ellie shot me a covert glance over her shoulder, silently asking what I wanted to do. I straightened up, squaring my shoulders as the other two Fireflies gave me wary looks. I wasn't Taylor's pawn anymore. I wasn't his dog to beat as he pleased.

"No. I'm not going with you." I stated firmly, staring Taylor in the eye as he turned in his saddle, his bushy eyebrow raised in surprise.

"Don't be stupid, Aaron. It's three against two, and Ellie looks too pale to hold a gun. Those arrows on her back are useless with only one arm." Taylor clucked like he expected a better threat from me. I glanced at Ellie again. Her whole arm was streaked with red; dripping banners that announced her life slipping away with every drop. She sagged against me, reins held loosely in her hands as if they were about to slip from her fingers.

I grit my teeth, looking from Ellie's drooping eyes to Taylor's alert, malicious ones. "Fine, but I'll only come if you let me take care of Ellie. Live bait's better than dead, right?"

Taylor shrugged, motioning for one of the other Fireflies to take the reins of my black and white horse. We ambled down the paved road, spreading out as if to create a moving barricade. I hastily treated and bound Ellie's wound as well as I could, much to her hushed insults and obscenities amid the chatter of Taylor and his men. It brought me relief to know she was alert enough to call me a "motherfucking traitor", but her words cut me deeper with every insult.

_She thinks you were in on it the whole time. _A voice groaned with dread in my mind. _I guess now you are, but…I doubt she'll trust you after this._

The voice was right. I had just surrendered both myself and Ellie to Taylor, and she was probably going to end up dead anyway after we lured Joel into whatever trap the bastards riding beside me had concocted. I still harboured bitterness towards Joel, and I doubted that would go away anytime soon, but Ellie needed him. That meant I had to keep him alive.

"How are you holding up, Ellie?" I asked the redhead after we had rode about half a mile in silence. I could see the town beyond the valley now, and I was a bit disappointed that we had washed up only a couple of miles from it. The buildings wavered and melded with the simmering blacktop in the blazing afternoon heat.

"Don't talk to me." She growled, her grip on the reins tightening. At least she didn't look so pale anymore.

I clamped my mouth shut after that, since I didn't want to converse with Taylor or his buddies like I was trying to be civil towards them. I resumed plotting mine and Ellie's escape, but I had to know more about Taylor's plan if I was going to figure out the best way to get us out of this mess.

When we passed by a faded, green overhead sign that designated the town as being called "Alpine", I expected to hear the fear-inducing moans of Infected, but this side of town was completely silent. I assumed the Fireflies that had taken up residence here cleared this half out better than the other. The eerie silence didn't stop the hairs on the back of my neck from prickling, though.

We turned into an empty gas station, and beyond it was a small cluster of lodge-like buildings. Balconies rimmed the top floor, but the wood had fallen away in some places, like missing teeth in a person's smile. Without the peeling white siding, smashed windows, and weathered wood, it would have been a nice place back in the day. I didn't have much time to admire it, though, because Ellie and I were forced to dismount our horse at gunpoint. A large elk head leered down at me from its place mounted above the door, and I shivered as I passed under it, like I was afraid it was going to bite me. One antler was missing, and the peeling paint underneath claimed the place was called the "Alpen Haus Resort".

We entered some sort of lobby, where a long wooden counter occupied one side of the room. There was a set of stairs on the opposite wall, but no elevators. Hole-riddled, black sofas and armchairs were arranged in a half-circle around an elaborate fireplace, which had a wrought iron grate that mimicked the mountains seen through the large bay windows. A low table stood between the chairs.

Taylor shoved me towards the chairs while another Firefly prodded Ellie towards another door marked, "Staff Only". Beside it was another corridor that claimed to lead to the "Dining Hall". I tried to follow her, but Taylor dug his nails into my gunshot wound. With a pathetic whimper, I let him push me into one of the leather armchairs.

"She'll be fine. Gale will take good care of her until we can get Joel in here for a nice chat. Once Harvey wakes up, he and Nick will go out and search for that bastard again." Taylor reassured me in a casual tone. I noted the underlying growl of warning in his rasp, telling me not to try anything stupid in the meantime. I glanced to my right as I noticed Nick, a blond, burly man of about thirty, hauling the orange-haired Harvey up the stairs, presumably to one of the upstairs rooms.

I almost got up again as I heard the excited screech of a Clicker, coming from behind the metal "Staff Only" door. I threw a terrified look at Taylor. "You have fucking _Infected _roaming around in this place? Why didn't you kill the things?"

To my utter disbelief, Taylor chuckled. "We only have one Clicker. And it's used purely for scare tactics. I'd put you in there too, but I need you out here where I can make sure you can't screw shit up." He rolled his eyes as we heard a female scream, followed by a string of obscenities.

"Excuse me for a minute, son. I think Gale needs some help incarcerating Ellie." Taylor held up a finger, disappearing into the room beyond the counter. I knew this used to be some place where people stayed when they were on vacation, and I imagined what the upstairs rooms might be like. I had seen pictures of hotels in the odd intact subway brochure or poster, but this one was a _lot _smaller than the towering buildings I had seen on the road to Salt Lake, and even within Salt Lake itself.

I considered sneaking in to see where they were holding Ellie, but then I decided against it since Taylor or Gale would probably shoot me. So I sat in the cushy armchair, digging my fingernails into the armrests until there were ten half-inch holes shaped like semi-circles. It was torture listening to Ellie's constant screams, along with the Clicker's voracious, rattling hisses.

It took too long for Taylor and Gale to return to the lobby, and Gale headed upstairs while Taylor sat down across from me like he hadn't just locked an innocent girl in the same room with a Clicker that wanted to rip her throat out.

"What did you do to Ellie?" I demanded as Taylor put his boots up on the couch.

He waved a hand as if it shouldn't concern me. But I was _very _concerned. "She won't die in there. The Clicker's chained up real well and so is she. Neither of them will be going anywhere unless I have a say in it." Taylor smirked, and I caught the silvery glimmer of something around his neck.

I knew it was the key to whatever room or lock they had imprisoned Ellie with, but I didn't let it show on my face. I would only have to be Taylor's bitch for a little longer, until I could figure out a way to get that key.

"So what now?" I queried after a moment of silence. Ellie's obscenities had died down a little, but I still heard something banging against metal behind that door. I didn't know if it was her or the Clicker, but I hoped Ellie wouldn't exhaust herself before I could get her out of there.

"You hungry? We have food here. We found a few cans of pop in the basement, too. Ever had Cola?" It was the first time since noon that Taylor had talked to me without using a condescending tone.

I cocked my head. "Like…that white stuff that creepy guy Ronny used to sell back in Boston?"

"No, not _cocaine_, Special Cola. Kids used to love the stuff back before CBI hit. Wanna try some?" Taylor genuinely smiled, and for a moment he wasn't my ex-guardian hell-bent on revenge. It was tempting, but…he was just trying to get me on his side again. After the beating at the barn, there was no fucking way I would trust him again. He severed that tie when he had punched me in the face.

I shook my head, even though my throat felt like sandpaper from the heat. "You can't win me over with shit, old man. We ain't nothing no more." I snapped bitterly, picking at the holes I made in the armrests.

Taylor sighed as if he were actually hurt by the comment, but I refused to play along. The man could act as nice as he wanted, but it was only that. An act. I would never believe him, and I think he was starting to see that.

Taylor leaned forward, propping his elbows on his thighs. "I know you're angry about what happened in the barn, but you have to realize that there are some things you just can't do. Disobeying authority is one of them." He sighed, pausing for a second. I said nothing so he resumed, "We were on thin ice with Joel and Ellie as it was, and you decided to crack it by screwing with Ellie? You jeopardized our mission, and I had to set you straight the only way I've seen work."

"You didn't have to crack my ribs and give me a fucking concussion. And I didn't _screw _with Ellie. I just tried to kiss her." I grumbled, crossing my arms like the moody teenager I was supposed to be.

"I know I went a little overboard," Taylor nodded, "and I'm sorry, son. You had to get the message, though. That girl is not your friend, and neither is Joel. They're enemies, and they will be killed for murdering your mother. They'll be brought to justice."

It was my turn to sigh. I wanted to believe the man, but that spike of distrust and contempt pierced me every time I heard his voice. I didn't want to go back to Salt Lake with him, like he wanted me to. I had no place there among the Fireflies, invisible and treated like I was just some dumb kid tagging along with the big dogs. Being next-in-line for leader didn't change that, not that I wanted the role, either.

"How? By getting their throats ripped out by your pet Clicker? That's a sort of mundane way to die." I snorted.

Taylor smirked again, stretching the gruesome cut on his split lower lip. I wanted to gag, but I didn't have the strength to. I just wanted to wake up from this nightmare. I wanted Ellie to be safe, and for us to be far away from Taylor, so he couldn't hurt us anymore.

"You're right. That's why I'm not going to feed them to the Clicker. I haven't decided yet, but hanging them from the topmost balcony, drowning them in the river, or gasoline poisoning are options. Something to make them suffer before they die, you know?" Taylor shrugged casually.

I wanted to punch him out, rip that key off his neck, and free Ellie right then and there. But I was outnumbered and not in the best condition to fight. I would have to wait until nightfall, when everyone was asleep.

"You're sick bastards, all of you." I hissed, glaring viciously at my ex-guardian.

The corner of Taylor's mouth twitched downward. He stood up from the couch, his ancient joints cracking as they straightened. "I'll get you that Special Cola and some decent food, too. Gale?" Taylor called up the stairs, and I heard someone's echo answer from the top landing. "Watch Aaron for a little bit, will ya? I'm going to get us some grub!"

_Of course he wouldn't leave me by myself… _I mentally groaned, banishing the idea of going to see Ellie. Gale, a man who looked about ten years younger than Taylor, thudded down the stairs in jeans and a ratty military-issued t-shirt. His dark hair was cropped short so it was easier to manage, and the amount of muscle on his arms suggested he could crack my spine in two if he fancied it.

I could hardly believe it took him _and _Taylor to chain Ellie up. I was impressed. Gale sat down in Taylor's spot, his inquisitive gray eyes watching me like a sparrow observed a tasty worm. My ex-guardian thumped up the creaking stairs, and I was left alone with the Firefly.

A full minute of silence passed, and Gale was still staring at me. My upper lip twitched in irritation. "You can stop staring at me like that. I won't do anything." I snapped at him.

"I saw you fight on the bridge earlier. You're a sneaky little bastard, aren't you? I know better than to let my guard down." Gale ran a hand through his greasy hair. He smelled like horse shit and body odour. Even Taylor didn't smell that bad, and the river was down the street.

I rolled my eyes, waiting in silence until Taylor came back. When he did, I was spared Gale's unceasing leer. Taylor set down a red can with a flourish of white cursive on it, a spoon, and a can of beef stew on the table between us, as if it were a peace offering.

I didn't want to eat anything given to me by somebody I strongly disliked, but I doubted I would get the chance again today, so I popped open the can of soda and took a sip. Despite Taylor watching me, I smiled as the sweet, bubbly liquid danced over my taste buds. _Man, _this stuff was good!

"Told you you'd like it." Taylor reclined into the leather, propping his arm behind his head as he stretched himself out on the sofa. He closed his eyes, letting out a long breath.

I took a few greedy chugs of the soda, feeling some of my energy come back. I moved on to the beef stew, peeling the lid back. When the pop can was emptied of the last drop and I licked the remainder of the stew from my finger, Taylor was snoring.

I cocked my head, staring at him unwaveringly like Gale did to ensure he was actually asleep, and not faking it. Taylor rolled over, turning his back to me. I smirked, seizing the opportunity to silently tip-toe towards the "Staff Only" door, glancing behind me every few steps to make sure Taylor was still asleep.

My hand curled around the silver doorknob, turning it. I winced as the hinges groaned in the peaceful silence of the lobby, and whipped my head to check on Taylor. His snoring was only interrupted for a second, but he didn't wake up. _Door's no good…_ I thought as I released the knob, heading for the dining hall.

I passed gilded, chipped frames on the wall depicting various stages of this resort's construction, along with picturesque paintings of the mountains outside the lobby's windows, but I had no time to admire them. I hurried down the hallway, only to come to a cavernous room twice the size of the lobby. A few lengthy tables, as long as the counter, had been shoved against the wall, and the scent of straw filled my nose.

Callus II, Ellie's gray pony, and Joel's horse munched on hay on the middle of the dining hall. I grinned, walking up to the copper horse and wrapping my arms around his neck. I didn't think I would be so glad to see a horse again, but I was. Now I had my transportation for tonight's escape.

"Hey, buddy. Where's Ellie, huh?" I quietly asked Callus II, as if he would answer me. He only cocked an ear at me, and resumed nibbling at the hay. "Pfft. Have it your way, you spoiled ass."

I heard something bang against metal again, and both the horses and I snapped our heads toward the large double doors to our left. Again, the black words "Staff Only" had been painted on the metal. The sign "Kitchen" had been bolted to the wood above it. This whole place seemed to be made of logs.

I crept cautiously to the door, pushing it open. Silver tables and appliances sat against the brick walls, and they were all either partially destroyed or severely dented beyond repair. I began to wonder what could have damaged them so much, when the answer almost grabbed me by the neck.

The Clicker I had heard clawed at me, its putrid, filthy arms stopped only by the metal bars. I stumbled backwards, banging my head against some pots hanging over a sink. "Ow! Shit…" I moaned as my skull throbbed. I leaned against the bar above the sink that held the pots, rubbing my head. The rusty thing suddenly came loose, and the bar, pots and all, crashed to the floor, loud enough to make the Clicker screech and the horses whinny in fear. A chain rattled dangerously, and I spied a two silver choke collars around its neck, like those used to restrain attack dogs back in Boston.

It was certainly enough to wake Taylor.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" I heard Taylor boom as he burst through the door at the other end of the hallway. I cowered, backing away, but he already had me by the collar. As he dragged me out of the kitchen, I caught a glimpse of red hair huddled in the corner of the Clicker's holding cell.

After Taylor had beat me in one of the resort's bedrooms enough that I couldn't stand, he left me alone to make sure my little stunt hadn't scared off any of the horses. So I crawled up onto one of the queen-sized mattresses, curling up to ease the pain in my ribs. It didn't help much, and my exhaustion pulled me down into a deep sleep, allowing my battered body to recuperate for once.

* * *

It was dark when I woke up again. It embraced me, serene, obscuring the events of the day through the absence of light. My entire body ached something awful in time with my heart beat, sending pain spiking through every limb at so much as a twitch of my muscles.

I slowly turned over, wincing and gasping quietly in agony as I put pressure on the tender spots on my back and ribs. A large lump was snoring in the bed next to mine, and in the on-and-off moonlight filtering through the cracked window on the opposite wall, I caught a tuft of silver-white hair poking out from underneath the blanket.

I had no idea what time of night it was, or if Nick and Harvey had caught Joel, but I knew one thing for sure: if Ellie was still alive, I would have to get her out of here. I gingerly sat up, allowing a dizzy spell to run its course as I silently stood up. I crept over to Taylor, peeling the blanket back enough to reveal the key tied by a string around his neck.

As I deliberated on how to get the key without waking up Taylor, I spotted mine and Ellie's packs sitting on a three-legged table by the tiny bathroom. I slipped mine on, hoisting Ellie's over one shoulder as I moved back over to Taylor.

_If I just grab it, he would wake up. If I cut it, he could take my hand and stab me. _I listed my options, and there weren't many. I would have to either kill him or knock him out. The first one was tempting, but then Taylor's goons would hear the scream and scuffle. I had to do it without waking them up, or they would definitely kill me, whether Taylor was alive or not.

I eyed the lamp sitting on the nightstand between our beds, but I decided against it. _Too loud._ Then I remembered Ellie's switchblade. An uneasy feeling twisted in my stomach. Would I really pick her over Taylor? I mean I _liked_ her, but it wasn't like she was always my first or only priority. On the other hand, I didn't want to watch her die by being forced to swallow gasoline.

The silver key glimmered tantalizingly in the moonlight. _Maybe I could choke him until he passes out? I don't have to kill him. _I reasoned, and besides, it wasn't like I had the strength to beat Taylor up. Strangling would have to do.

I bit my lip, clenching and unclenching my hands. If I didn't do this, Ellie and Joel would die. If we didn't escape, Taylor would continue abusing me until I probably died from a punctured lung or too many kicks to the head. Tommy would never see his brother again. I would never be with Ellie. Joel would never see her again. I would never see her again.

I could do this.

I had to do this.

I _needed _to do this.

I slipped my arm underneath Taylor's head, and clamped my elbow as tight as I could around his neck. Taylor gasped in surprise and grabbed at my arm, his eyes bleary and bleached of colour in the moonlight. I let out a determined snarl, tightening my grip until I felt like my shoulder would pop out of its socket. Taylor gradually stopped struggling, and I ripped the key from his limp neck.

Adrenaline heightened my senses, and I listened hard for any shouting as I rushed down the hall as quietly as the balls of my feet would allow. It wasn't difficult to find the stairwell; each floor was essentially a square with identical rooms. I crept down four flights of stairs until I reached the lobby, still convinced someone could wake up at any minute and come after me.

Not a soul was in the lobby, and I headed through the kitchen door, not caring if it squeaked or not. I got into a crouch as I neared the cell where the Clicker and Ellie were locked up, so I wouldn't startle either of them. But as I neared the jail cell, I didn't see the telltale orange glow of the Clicker's fungal plates. Assuming they either killed it or moved it somewhere else for the night, I fitted the key into the cell's lock. I darted inside, spotting a dull head of auburn hair exactly where I had seen it during the day. Ellie hadn't moved an inch.

Ellie's brow was furrowed in her sleep, and she muttered incoherently to what I assumed were the demons in her nightmare. I gently shook her shoulder, murmuring, "Ellie? Wake up, we're getting out of here."

A moment of silence passed, and I shook her shoulder again. Ellie's emerald eyes shot open and she lunged for me, fingernails slashing the skin on my face. I let out a surprised yelp, shielding myself from her.

"Ellie! It's me, Aaron! Calm down!" I tried to keep my voice quiet in case any sentries were walking around, and I wrapped my sore arms around her to placate her. I murmured soothing words in her ear and she gradually stopped fighting as she recognized it, instead letting me hold her as she sobbed into my chest.

"I thought…I thought you were…that Clicker." Ellie whimpered, and I held her tighter in reply.

We sat like that for a while, until muffled thudding above me broke the silence. "We have to leave. They have the horses in the next room." I said, giving Ellie her pack.

"Do they have Joel here?" Ellie asked, her eyes momentarily widened as she focused on something behind me. "Look out!" She shouted as dreaded clicking sounded from somewhere by the cell's entrance. I whipped around, reaching for a gun I realized wasn't there. Taylor must have taken it.

The Clicker barreled into me, deformed jaws gnashing at my neck. I fell to the ground, trying feebly to keep the thing away. With a yell, I shoved it off of me just as Clicker blood splattered all over my face. The gunshots so close to my head made my ears ring, but I didn't have any time to recover as Ellie grabbed my hand and hauled me out of the jail cell.

We came out into the dining hall, and Callus II threw his head up as we clambered onto his back, Ellie first and me behind her. He still had his saddle on, which I was grateful for. We hunched low as we cleared the wide doorway, tearing out into the parking lot just as shouts echoed from the lobby.

We galloped until we were back in the valley, and the town of Alpine was obscured by the looming, shadowed mountains rising tall into the roiling, cloudy sky. I breathed in the fresh air like it was the first time I had inhaled oxygen, the scent of the wilderness surrounding me mixing with the scent of rain on the air. Thunder rumbled overhead, like the sky was angry I had escaped Alpine's clutches.

Ellie slowed Callus II to a walk when he started getting tired, which gave us a chance to talk without the wind carrying our words away. "What happened in that cell back there? Did Taylor hurt you?" I was surprised at the amount of concern in my voice.

Ellie didn't answer for a moment, and I thought she was refusing the question until she said, "No, he didn't hurt me. They…stuck me in that cell with the Clicker, but it was chained up. The dumbasses made the handcuffs too loose for me, so it was easy for me to slip out, but…" She trailed off, and I could fill in the rest. It must have been terrifying, being stuck in a confined space with a nasty Clicker for God knows how long.

"They didn't let you out at all?"

The auburn-haired girl shook her head.

I fell silent, not wanting to pry and make Ellie relive the nightmare of the past day.

"So you were never planning on surrendering me to Taylor, were you?" Ellie's tone was wary, but curious.

"I honestly thought Joel had killed him. I had no idea he was alive, really." I answered, but in the back of my mind I knew Taylor wasn't brought down that easily.

"Did you kill Taylor back there?"

I wasn't sure, but part of me hoped I did so that Ellie, Joel, and I could have some peace for once. "I don't know, but I doubt it. I knocked him out, though."

Ellie shrugged. "Good enough. What happened after they chained me up in the kitchen?"

I bit my lip, not wanting her to pity me. I hated pity. "Taylor fed me, and then I tried to see you, but that Clicker made me knock all those pots down. Then Taylor beat me and I slept until I busted you out."

She was quiet for a minute, and then, "I hope you did kill him. He's a nasty motherfucker."

I chuckled, but then winced as my aching ribs agreed with her. "Yeah…I kind of figured that out too late."

"Sorry I marked up your face…You really shouldn't sneak up on people having nightmares." Ellie tried to laugh to lighten the mood, but for some reason it just annoyed me.

"Yeah, whatever. I'll keep that in mind." I answered dryly.

A comfortable silence settled between us, broken only by the rumbling thunder and Callus II's worried whinnies. Soon fat raindrops fell on my face, and they quickly turned into sheeting rain. "We should find a place to camp for the night." Ellie informed me over her shoulder. I tapped her shoulder and pointed to a narrower road that disappeared among the trees. She nodded, urging the horse into the safety of the tall pines.

I was soaked to the bone by now, shivering in nothing but my t-shirt and pants. At least Ellie had her hoodie, not that it did much better to keep the cold out. She was shivering, too. We came up onto a low hill overlooking the river, and Ellie pointed to a promising RV. It even had a tarp extending from the side for Callus II, but it was ripped and looked like it had seen better days. Still, it was better than nothing.

There were a few other husks of cars lying miserably in the rain, but the RV was the most intact thing there was. Since I barely had the strength to hold up a gun without my arms shaking violently, I let Ellie scout the RV. She listened at the door as I tied Callus II to the pole holding up one side of the tarp, and I loosened his cinch as she ducked inside. A few seconds later, her dripping auburn head popped out and she gave me a thumbs-up.

I patted the horse on his hindquarters, squeezing past Ellie in the cramped RV. There wasn't much-just overhead cupboards that had been picked clean ages ago and the odd pieces of cutlery in the drawers. The roof didn't leak and the carpet underneath us didn't stink of mildew, which was a bonus. Overall, it wasn't in too shabby condition.

I plopped myself on the small bed at one end of the RV, kicking off my boots. I hung my backpack and soaked shirt to dry on the kitchen table jutting out from the wall, before carefully stretching myself out on the bed. I glanced at Ellie, smiling and patting the space beside me. She looked at me like I had gone crazy, and I snickered.

"What? Never shared a bed with a boy before? And Joel doesn't count." I smirked playfully, and I could tell she was blushing even though it was completely dark inside the RV. She always blushed when she twisted her foot on the floor.

"No…have you ever been in bed with a girl?" Ellie shot back, but without her usual sass. It was an honest question. I shook my head.

"Where else are you going to sleep? You're too big to sleep at the table, and there isn't anywhere else." I expertly pointed out, and I wasn't about to let her sleep on the floor, mildew or no mildew.

Ellie looked down at her feet. "I'll take the floor, then."

"I am _not _letting a girl sleep on the floor. It's not proper." Despite being brought up in the Boston QZ, I had been taught manners. And boys didn't let girls take the floor, not matter how much they may act like boys.

Ellie giggled, setting her pack down at the kitchen table beside mine. "I don't mind, really. And since when do you know anything about what's proper and what's not? Nobody does that chivalry shit anymore."

"Why are you so afraid of sharing a bed with me? I won't try anything with you, I've just been beaten unconscious twice in one day! Not to mention chewed up by a river and relentlessly kicked by a panicky girl in said river." I huffed in irritation, propping my hands behind my head. I put on the sarcasm a little thick, and Ellie noticed.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Who gave you permission to act like a dick? You're usually not this much of an asshole." Ellie grabbed her flashlight, switching it on. The light temporarily blinded me, and I held a hand up to shield my burning eyes.

"Ah, what the fuck? You want Taylor's goons to see us? Turn that fucking thing off!" I hissed, but Ellie didn't comply. She stepped closer, but she didn't shine it in my eyes anymore.

Ellie frowned as she sat on the edge of the bed, gently tugging my arm so I was lying on my stomach. I tried to crane my neck so I could see what had her so concerned, but she pushed my head down. As soon as she had sat down, she was up again, backing away from me like I was Death itself.

"What? What is it?" I asked urgently, but I answered my own question as I bent my right shoulder forward.

Blood trickled from a ring of teeth marks on my shoulder, shaped like the arrangement of chairs around the fireplace in the Alpen Haus Resort.


	11. End of the Line

**A/N: I just want to take a moment to give some shout outs. MoonlitxAngel, HB2000, TacoSwimmer, and my various Guests, you guys are awesome! Thank you for being so supportive of this fic! Thank you to all my followers, favouriters, and my silent (though I wish you would speak up a little) readers. I love you guys, too! And for those who have been wondering where Joel is (which should be everybody reading this fic), I assure you he is not dead! Enjoy, mes amis!**

"Well, fuck." I stated curtly, trying to get a better view of the bite mark. I was as fascinated by it as I was disgusted. How could I have let that happen?

I was too weak, I realized. I was too weak to stand up to Taylor, which made me too weak to fend off the Clicker. In some dark recess of my mind, I felt a dull prick.

It was my pride.

I had to be saved by a fifteen-year old girl. _Again._

"Is that all you have to say, 'well, fuck'?" Ellie asked incredulously as she dug some gauze out of her pack. She handed it to me, as if touching me again would instantly make her a Clicker. Then, realizing I was too battered to actually tend to the wound, she sat as far away from me as she could, pressing the gauze to my shoulder.

Why was she still talking? Didn't she know that I felt like someone was swinging a hammer into my skull every time my heart beat? A more accurate analogy was Taylor's steel-toed boot, though. "What, you expect me to launch into some profound speech about life and death? Oh, please." I scoffed.

Ellie made a derisive noise, obviously suppressing another urge to hit me. "No, it's just…Damn, I didn't think this would happen again so soon. Losing another person to Infected, I mean." She sighed, and I doubted I ever heard her voice shake until today.

"Didn't you mention something about that kid named Sam? Is this how he died?" I asked gently, motioning my head to my bite wound. By Ellie's silence, I knew it was. "I'm sorry…for not being strong enough."

She cocked an eyebrow, looking at me like I was crazy again. The funny thing was, I would literally go crazy overnight. "Why the fuck are you blaming this on yourself? It was Taylor who set up that ambush, him who locked me up with that Clicker, and him who beat the shit out of you! It's all Taylor's fault, not yours!"

I closed my eyes, letting out a long breath. It was like the energy I had from being irritated and angry had all just drained away in a matter of seconds. The rain pattering on the metal roof of the RV and the windows was too loud. I was sweating bullets, even though I had no shirt on and my teeth had been chattering outside. My head throbbed to the point where I could barely form coherent thoughts.

I wanted it to stop.

I wanted the pain, the acrid heat setting my veins on fire, the infection working its way into my brain…

I wanted everything to just…stop.

"Ellie…I need to tell you something. About me and Taylor." If I was going to die in this RV, I might as well lay all my cards out on the table. Ellie deserved to know, and I was tired of keeping the truth from her. Joel and Taylor may have lied to her, but I wouldn't.

Ellie eyed me warily, remaining silent as she bandaged my bite wound.

"You're right that I didn't know about the ambush, but…Taylor didn't start this whole expedition from Salt Lake. I did." I bit my lip, waiting for her reaction. She stayed quiet, letting me explain further. "I don't know what Joel and Taylor told you after those things I said to you at the beach, but they're not true. What I told you is the truth."

"Oh, not this fucking thing again! Aaron, I have no idea what made you tell me Marlene was dead, but-"

"It's because she is, Ellie! Joel murdered almost all of our forces at St. Mary's, and Taylor left with me so that we could…" I trailed off in a moan, writhing a little as my head threatened to explode.

Ellie narrowed her eyes, but if it was in suspicion or concern, I couldn't tell. "So that you could what?"

Through the pain in my skull I forced out, "So we could…kill Joel. Sort of like a bounty mission, except the bounty is closure, not money."

Ellie sprung away from me like I had burned her. By the heat setting my body ablaze, I wouldn't be surprised if I did. She groped behind her for something to balance with as she scrambled away from me, shaking her head all the while.

"You're lying. Marlene's not dead, I don't believe you! You have a fucking twisted sense of humor, you know that?" She yelled at me, only making me groan in pain again. She quieted down, but it didn't help much. "Joel wouldn't…Joel _couldn't _murder that many people in one night."

I bared my teeth, letting out a hiss. "I'm on my fucking deathbed, Ellie! Why would I be trying to lie to you if I want to come clean? If you haven't noticed, I'm the only one who's been telling you the fucking truth this entire time!"

A deathly silence settled over us, Ellie staring at me wide-eyed like a deer frozen in place, and me struggling just to keep my eyes open for more than half-a-second.

And then, "I still don't believe you." Ellie muttered stubbornly. I should have expected that she would trust Joel's word more than mine. I heard her shuffling around the RV, probably bedding down for the night on the floor. I could barely keep my eyes open anymore, so I succumbed to my exhaustion and kept them closed.

As if my body wasn't torturing itself enough, I irritated my more-than-likely cracked ribs by shivering. I was _far _from cold, but apparently my muscles thought otherwise. Or maybe I was just starting to writhe and twitch like those Runners I had seen with their heads in their hands?

"Why haven't you shot me in the head yet?" I uttered feebly, without opening my eyes.

I heard the rustling of a blanket. It sounded like nails scraping down a piece of metal. "I think my theory is still right. You're immune." Ellie said from her place on the floor.

I bared my teeth again. "Do I _look _fucking immune to you? Fucking _look _at me, dumbass! I'm on fire, I can't think, or breathe, or even lift my head!" I shouted viciously at her through bleary vision, and I realized I was crying. Why couldn't she just put a bullet through my head and end my misery? I would have been forever grateful.

I felt a hand slip over mine. "You're ice-cold." Ellie's voice sounded far away, but she was probably sitting right beside me. Then I felt the back of her hand on my forehead. "But you're burning up. Man, this isn't good…" I could imagine her biting her lip; I had closed my eyes again.

_No fucking shit._ I mentally rolled my eyes. Warmth enveloped me, and despite feeling like I had stepped into an inferno, the soft fabric around me kept some of the shivering at bay. It actually felt…pleasant. Ellie dabbed something cold and spongy on my forehead-a wet rag. The fire died down ever so slightly, but it was enough to make me sigh contentedly.

"Feel better?" Ellie asked, and I swore she even giggled a bit.

I made a noise of confirmation, which sounded suspiciously like a moan of pleasure the more she dabbed that heavenly, cold rag on my forehead.

"Wow, I never thought you could make that noise just by having a rag on your head." This time Ellie did laugh, and I cracked a tiny smile.

"You have _no_ idea how good that feels…" I furrowed my brow as one of my few coherent thoughts pushed its way to the front of my brain. "Why are you doing this for me? Shouldn't you hate me, or something?"

I cracked an eye open in time to see her shrug. "I guess, but…I'm kind of on the fence. I hate seeing you so sick and beat up, but you're not exactly my best friend right now, either."

I smirked, meeting her jade-green eyes. "Good enough. Are you worried Taylor will find us?" I was glad I could make slightly more coherent thoughts now, but the fire in my veins and the hammering in my head were far from gone.

"In this weather? Naw…he wouldn't risk his men in this storm. Plus, we have a good hiding spot." Ellie said, giving me another small smile.

I frowned instead. "Ellie…what if I turn during the night? You'll kill me, won't you?" My earlier worries came back to me, and by the way Ellie averted her eyes, the answer was obvious. I wouldn't kill myself, I didn't have the strength to even put a gun to my temple.

A short silence settled over us, filled only by the drumming rain and the occasional snort from Callus II.

"Riley told me right after we had gotten bit…that we had two options in this sort of thing. The first is taking the easy way out." Ellie bit her lip, drawing a black pistol. She must have gotten it from Callus II's saddle, because Taylor took the other one she gave me. I got the message: suicide was quick and painless, just putting a gun to your head and pulling the trigger.

Cowards took the easy way.

I was pretty sure I was a coward.

"What's option two?" I mumbled.

Ellie placed the gun on the kitchen table. She did it with care, to make sure it wouldn't hurt my ears. It still kinda did, but I appreciated the effort. "Option two is…you fight it. Fight for every second you have left. Riley wasn't a fan of option one, and neither am I."

"But you think neither of those apply to me because I'm immune. By your standards, anyway." I pointed out.

Ellie put the rag away, and I almost whimpered. That rag was the only thing standing between sweet relief and burning myself to a crisp inside. "Yeah, well…you seem to be doing a little better now. You're not shivering so much."

"I still feel like I'm on fire." I said dryly, coughing a little. Ellie handed me a bottle of water, and I took a few gulps. It made me smile like the Cola did, it tasted that good. I was definitely losing it if water tasted like soda.

"I can't do much about that. If I'm right, I'll see you in the morning." Ellie slipped off the bed, and out of sight. I heard the blanket rustle on the floor again, but this time it actually sounded more like a blanket should.

I scoffed. "If you're wrong, I'll tear you to shreds _before_ morning. Just a heads-up." I said half-teasingly.

"Oh, shut up and go to sleep." I could hear the smile in Ellie's voice, even though I couldn't see her.

I chuckled, and then abruptly stopped as pain flared up in my ribs for the umpteenth time. "What happened to making every second count?"

"If I remember correctly, you never chose an option. And you don't need to. _Goodnight_, Aaron." Ellie said more firmly this time, with a hint of annoyance in her voice. It just made me smile more.

I carefully rolled onto my back and propped my 500-pound head up with my sore arm. "After our little heart-to-heart talk and the obvious fact that I can barely move, I can't believe you're still scared to share a bed with me. Afraid I'll try to kiss you again?" It felt good to have some of my hormonal teenage boy wit back.

"I'm surprised you haven't tried up until now. I swear, every time we're alone, you try to plant one on me. You're such a fucking pervert." Ellie drawled from the floor.

"You've never been kissed before." I stated the obvious. "You've never slept in the same bed with a guy, and you've never made one moan. That's pretty sad, Ellie." I said in mock-sympathy.

Ellie's head popped up from her floor bed, and she narrowed her eyes at me. "Okay, number one: I _have _kissed someone before. And number two: I just made you moan with that rag! You can stop being a hypocrite because you've never done any of those things with a girl, either!"

I smirked in that way I knew she hated. "Yeah? Who'd you kiss?"

"I can't believe I'm talking about this with you…a _guy _of all people." Ellie made a condescending noise, but I wasn't sure if it was directed at me or herself.

"Answer the question, Ellie…" I sang.

She mumbled the answer so quietly, I had to ask again.

"Riley! I kissed Riley, okay? Happy?" Ellie flung her hands up in exasperation.

I sniggered, but then I realized the serious expression hadn't left her face. "Wait, seriously? Wow…that's impressive. Did you sleep with her, too?"

A wide grin stretched my full lips as Ellie threw one of the RV's cushions at me. It glanced off my face, and I rubbed my now throbbing nose. "Ow…Okay, I guess not. What about number three?"

"Will you drop it? Are you ever going to let me get some sleep?" Ellie hissed in irritation.

"No and I doubt it. You know, this could be the last night you spend with me. Wouldn't you regret not making the most of it?" I purred, patting the empty space beside me.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you're disgusting."

I smirked seductively at her, "C'mon, you know you want to pick up where we left off at the beach. What's a harmless little kiss gonna do, huh?"

Ellie furrowed her brow, and it looked like she was seriously thinking it over. "If I share your bed with you, will you promise to shut the fuck up and go to sleep?"

"Your wish is my command." I replied casually, and I shivered for a moment as she flipped the blanket back and settled herself beside me. It was twice as warm now, and I felt the heat race through every muscle, but not because the fire was still scorching my insides. With the absence of the cold rag, the pounding in my head returned with a vengeance.

For a moment everything was just how I wanted it; Ellie snuggled in beside me (though I wished she would relax, she was as stiff as a plank of wood), the warmth of the blanket, and that cozy feeling you get when it's dark, you're sheltered, and the rain couldn't get in.

Then Ellie had to ruin it by talking. I thought she wanted to shut up and sleep?

"So…what now? I haven't really done this before…" She mumbled, and I noticed she kept as far away from me as possible without actually getting out from underneath the blanket.

Now I was the one sighing in exasperation. "Figure it out, Ellie. It ain't hard." This girl clearly had never been cuddled before. I bet she would have beat the crap out of anyone who tried back in Boston. Unless, of course, it was Riley.

Ellie pursed her lips, again seriously thinking about what to do next. I wanted to laugh, but then I realized my heart was probably racing as fast as hers. I could even see her blush in the dark. So I stayed still (not that I could do much else) and let her make herself comfortable beside me. After relentlessly shifting enough to re-enact her panicked swim with me across the Snake earlier that day, and many pained groans from me as the movements irritated my ribs, she finally settled herself with one arm across my chest, the other squished between her and my bruised side, and her head in the crook of my neck.

When I determined she wasn't going to aggravate my injuries anymore, I finally drifted off, and I had to admit it was actually comfortable sharing a bed with a girl. Her breath against my neck felt pleasant, and the sound didn't annoy me like I thought it would. Even the warmth of another person next to me felt pretty damn good. But…it didn't feel natural. Ellie didn't fit right against me, there were too many gaps.

"This feels…kinda nice." Ellie commented, and the corner of my mouth twitched downward.

It just felt downright awkward.

I snorted. "This is just weird."

"Yeah, totally." Ellie agreed wholeheartedly.

I thought for a moment. Then I came up with a solution we would both appreciate. It would hurt, but the result would be worth it. "I have a better idea. Don't move." I said, turning over so I was lying on my right side, facing her. I fitted my arm beneath her head, drawing her closer with the other. Ellie naturally nestled her head under my chin, and I could feel her breath on my collarbone. Her arms were comfortably folded into my chest, and there were no awkward gaps between us now.

"Wow, this actually feels kinda awesome. You're really comfy. And warm." Ellie murmured against my neck, and I could feel her smile. I grunted in agreement, drifting off again.

I was still dabbling in the realm of the conscious when I felt her remove her head from under my chin, and I didn't think anything of it until I felt the strangest sensation on my lips. Electricity zipped through my nerves, jolting me awake. Ellie hastily pulled her head away from me so we could both look at each other. She was biting her lip again; she was nervous about something.

"What the fuck was that?" I asked, experimentally licking my lips. They still felt normal.

"Shit, sorry…I thought you were asleep." Ellie mumbled, trying hard not to meet my eyes.

I quickly caught on, despite my foggy thought process. "Did…did you just kiss me?"

"I said I was sorry, okay?" Ellie snapped, shifting away from me. It was suddenly too cold under the blanket.

I rested a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from getting out of bed. I furrowed my brow in confusion, "For what?"

Ellie's eyes finally flickered up to mine, and something flashed across them. I couldn't place it, so I asked quietly, "What is it?"

"That's…that's the same thing Riley said after I kissed her. It just…kinda brought back some memories." She mumbled, as if she were embarrassed.

I smirked. "Oh. Well, did you kiss her again after that? 'Cause that felt good."

Ellie's eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously?"

I answered her question by kissing her again, gently fitting my lips to hers and closing my eyes. I pressed her closer, and a primal moan escaped from the back of my throat as she trailed her hand up my back. _Don't stop, don't stop, don't fucking stop… _I begged in my head as a shiver worked its way up my spine.

Ellie stopped, whipping her head away from me as I gave a bratty whine. "Shut up, I think I hear something." She panted breathlessly, and at once my senses were on high alert. I heard the crunching of tires on gravel amidst the rain tapping on the RV.

Two lights, too bright and synchronized to be from flashlights, momentarily illuminated the RV and Ellie's blanched face for a moment before disappearing. I heard Callus II give a surprised whinny from under the tarp, followed by a couple stamps on the wet ground.

My heart, still racing from the kiss, increased twofold as Ellie and I shared the same anxious look.

"Do you think it's Taylor?" Ellie whispered as she slipped out from underneath the blanket. She grabbed the gun from the table, creeping to the window.

"I don't know…I didn't see any working cars outside that resort, did you?" I asked, and she shrugged as she peered through the rain-splattered glass above the tiny sink, keeping her head low.

"It could be Joel…" Ellie suggested, "Oh shit, they're coming over here!" She darted to the door, cocking her gun, but I was defenseless. I couldn't move or shoot; I was a regular sitting duck. Well, I was going to be shot when I turned, anyway. A few hours didn't make much of a difference.

We waited in complete silence, until I heard a familiar gruff voice say from outside, "Hey, Callus II…where's Ellie, huh?" I heard a nicker in response.

_Pfft, that horse answers him and not me? Ass… _I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Joel?" Ellie cautiously called out.

"Ellie? That you?" Joel's muffled voice permeated through the wall of the RV. I heard the door handle jiggle and a sudden shower of rain accompanied a hulking figure clearly too big for the tiny RV.

"You left the fucking door _unlocked_? Jesus, Ellie…" My complaint was drowned out by the joyful exclamations of both Joel and Ellie as the former caught her up in a hug. Feeling like the third wheel, I turned over as Ellie started spilling out everything that had happened since the battle on the bridge.

"…And then, and then Aaron came in during the night and we escaped, but we got attacked by this Clicker before we could get to the horses, and-" Ellie's rant was cut off by Joel for the millionth time by him telling her to slow down, and that's when I finally heard him say my name. I was convinced they had completely forgotten about me during their little reunion.

I wished they would forget me.

I was as good as dead, anyway.

"Aaron? Did you keep Ellie safe all this time?" Joel asked me expectantly. I could hear the strain in his voice, like talking was painful for him.

I knew that feeling all too well. He had a cracked or broken rib, I could tell. I wouldn't count letting her get locked up with a Clicker as 'keeping her safe', but…I nodded anyway.

"Yeah, I got her out of that resort. How'd you find us, anyway? And what the hell happened to you?" I asked vapidly, turning over again.

Joel looked like he had seen better days, to put it lightly. In the dim light cast from the car headlights, I could make out numerous cuts and bruises on his arms and face, and he was gingerly holding his side. _Yep, damaged ribs. _I confirmed.

"Taylor's buddies don't take kindly to people stealing their car. I managed to escape from those bastards on the bridge, and I rode along this valley road looking to see where you two washed up, but too many of them came after me. So I rode back to town and decided to look for you there, but you'd just up and disappeared." Joel explained, taking a swig of his water bottle every so often.

"Then I noticed movement up on the hill here, and I find our old horse buddy." Joel finished. If I wasn't mistaken, I thought I saw a ghost of a smile on his face every time he looked at Ellie. "So, you guys ready to go? Taylor will be on our asses any minute."

"I'm not going with you." I announced, and both Ellie and Joel gave me stunned looks.

"Listen Aaron, you kept my girl safe. You can come with us to Tommy's, there's plenty room in the car. You've earned it, son." Joel's expression went back to one I recognized. Stony.

I grit my teeth, tearing off the bandage Ellie had applied to my shoulder. "I can't go with you because I'm infected. You might as well shoot me and get on with your journey to Tommy's." I said bitterly, and Joel's face turned to shock and quickly anger.

He glanced from me to Ellie. "This boy got bit, and he's still alive? Ellie, you know what has to happen-"

Ellie cut her guardian off, indignant. "He's immune, Joel. Like me. Just look at his leg, he was scratched by a Clicker when he was little. He won't turn!"

Ellie's faith in me was commendable, but the fever burning me alive proved her theory wrong. "I won't be leaving this RV, Ellie. Look, I can't even get up. Just go to Tommy's without me, okay?" I silently begged her as her eyes met mine, but the stubbornness shone bright in hers.

"Bullshit! I'm not leaving without you!" Ellie valiantly protested, but Joel placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"I know it's hard, but leave him be. This is what he wants, alright?" Joel said, and Ellie eventually relented after a hushed conversation, or maybe it was quiet because I was passing out again? The pain in my head grew too great, and my vision turned completely black as silence settled over me.

The last thing I felt before unconsciousness fully gripped me were tiny bolts electricity shooting through my body.


	12. Second Chance

I woke with a gasp, like I was breathing air for the first time. Or like I was waking up from a nightmare. Last night sure did seem like a nightmare. Well, most of it, anyway.

I laid in the bed of the RV, collecting my thoughts and trying to remember the events of last night. I stared up at the ceiling of the RV, lacing my fingers together and stretching my sore legs. Then I realized something.

I could _think_.

I could _breathe_.

I had _control_ over my own body.

I was _immune_.

My eyes widened in momentary awe. _Ellie was right! _I shouted joyfully in my head, turning over to give her the good news. My grin disappeared when I saw that nobody was there. Even Joel was gone. I furrowed my brow in confusion, gingerly sitting up. Pain throbbed all over my body, but unlike last night, it was manageable. I didn't really have a headache or fever anymore, for which I was eternally grateful.

"Ellie? Joel?" I cautiously called out, using the edge of the kitchen table to stand up.

Silence.

My shirt was where I had left it, so I dragged it on over my head. It was then I noticed that wasn't the only thing left on the table. A few cans of peaches and corn, a black pistol with half a dozen bullets, and a _Savage Starlight _comic book were arranged neatly on it. I picked up the cans, stuffing them in my bag. After loading the gun, I shoved it my back pocket.

I eyed the comic book warily; I wasn't a big fan of reading, but...if Ellie left it, she probably wanted it back, I reasoned. I picked it up, flipping through the glossy pages. I hadn't really read a comic book before, but I was surprised it was almost all pictures. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Something small and rectangular fluttered to the floor as I turned to stuff the comic into my bag, and I raised an eyebrow.

I snatched it from the floor, reading the hastily scrawled note to myself, "Aaron, if you're reading this, you probably didn't turn, which means I was right. In your face. Find us up north in Jackson, keep following the highway. P.S. I want my comic back. And stop losing my weapons! Ellie."

I chuckled as I shoved the note into my pocket, hoisted the backpack over my shoulder, and headed out the door of the RV. _That explains things...Time to get out of this goddam place. _I decided, shielding my eyes from the noonday sun as I stepped outside. My head throbbed dully in response. A sense of panic gripped me when I saw Callus II wasn't tied to the pole. His saddle and bridle were still there, but...no horse.

"What the hell...?" I muttered to myself. Who would untack a horse and then steal it? Wasn't that counterproductive? Unless..._Shit, what if someone wanted him for meat? _I thought frantically, anxiously scanning the trees for any sign of movement. I checked my saddle bags and realized nothing had been removed. _If somebody wanted the horse, wouldn't they have stolen my stuff, too? _I asked myself.

At the same time, I wondered why I was getting so worked up over a horse. Okay, so I kinda liked the animal, and riding was a hell of a lot faster than walking.

I darted behind the RV as something rustled in the bushes to my left. I drew my pistol, crouching in one of the numerous puddles left behind by last night's storm. Except for the tiny pools of water dotting the muddy, dirt parking lot, it was impossible to tell a storm had passed overnight. The unbroken, blue dome over my head hadn't left a single trace of evidence behind.

The rustling continued, and I aimed my gun at the treeline. My arms shook, but if I had to shoot, I could fire a straight shot. I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw a flash of copper, followed by a four-beat thudding that permeated through the towering conifers. Callus II ambled out of the forest, shaking his bramble-ridden mane. He turned a gleaming brown eye towards me as I emerged from my hiding spot, snorting in greeting.

"Hey, boy!" I appreciatively rubbed his thick neck, smiling again. Apart from Ellie and Joel leaving me behind to fend off the infection, today was going pretty good for once. I had my horse, my supplies, and a destination in mind. Best of all, I wasn't a Runner. Taylor not being around was pretty good, too.

I grabbed Callus II's bridle and saddle, though I could barely lift the latter up since my whole body felt like jelly. I managed to heave the saddle onto the horse's back with much difficulty, but at least Callus II was nice enough to put his head down so I could bridle him. With everything ready, I took one last look at the RV.

It was the place where my life almost ended. It was the place where I had my first kiss.

A small smile played on my lips at the memory. With any luck, my first kiss wouldn't be my last.

I clambered up onto my horse's back, gently urging him down the muddy road, and back onto the drying blacktop. I had only been riding for a few minutes when my thoughts began to catch up with me. A sense of disappointment settled over me as they brought up images of Joel and Ellie.

They had abandoned me.

Of course, I was as convinced as Joel was that I would turn by morning, given that I had many, if not _all _the symptoms of CBI. He didn't want some kid turning in the middle of the night and tearing Ellie to shreds. I had even asked Ellie to kill me, I was so convinced I wouldn't make it. They had left to preserve their own safety, which was fine with me. Still, it didn't get rid of the sinking feeling that they would leave me behind when things got really bad. At least Ellie hadn't _completely _given up on me.

Was I mad that they had left me? A little, but at the time I didn't think I was going to survive the infection, either. I could forgive them for it.

With my feelings sorted out, boredom soon settled over me. Callus II and I ambled down the cracked pavement with nothing but conifer-dominated mountains towering on both sides of us, the babble of the Snake to my right, and Callus II's hoofbeats echoing softly up and down the narrow valley. I didn't even see an end to the winding road ahead of me, with no visible break in the mountains to signify civilization of any kind.

I admit, it was pretty lonely trekking through Wyoming with nobody to race with, talk to, or make fun of. I even missed Taylor and Joel's stories about the pre-infection world. Ellie's awful puns would have been a welcome break in the endless silence of human voices. Instead I was forced to listen to the incessant warbling of unseen birds in the trees, the river, and the drone of cicadas that made my head hurt.

Since I had nothing else to do but stare at the twisting road or passing trees, I pulled out Ellie's _Savage Starlight _comic. On the cover a woman with short hair held something blue, and there were wires or something all around her. I read the synopsis on the back to myself.

"Dr. Daniela Star dreams of deep space. In the year 2186, mankind has conquered the solar system, but the shackles of special relativity prevent them from going any further. At her research facility on Ganymede, Daniela is on the verge of a breakthrough that will allow humanity to finally answer the question: are we alone?" I read aloud, just to hear my own scratchy voice.

I wound my reins around my saddle horn and flipped to the first page. Apparently it was issue one, which I guess I should have expected. Ellie wouldn't leave me with just any random comic from her collection. I gradually got sucked into Daniela Star's world, leaving Earth and traveling to Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, and her dilemma with space travel. I ended up eagerly flipping each page wanting, no _needing _to know what happens next.

Dr. Daniela Star discovers the zero-point jump drive that could change space travel forever, and then…

"No, no, no! Fuck, I hate cliffhangers…" I groaned, pouting as I read the "to be continued" bubble on the last page. Sighing, I stuffed the comic back into my bag. I turned back to staring at the mountains, and I wondered how much time had gone by. I glanced up at the sun, and I judged I had maybe killed off an hour at most. Fuck, travelling alone was boring. I couldn't see any end to the mountains now, either.

My thoughts drifted from one random topic to the next, ranging from how far away Jackson was to what Ellie was doing right now. _Probably flirting with some other guy who's not a clumsy, incompetent piece of shit. You can't even protect yourself from a Clicker, what makes you think you can protect Ellie? _A snide voice jeered in my head.

Ellie could take care of herself, I reasoned, but then again it _did _feel good to know someone always had your back. But Ellie had Joel for that. I was just some dumb kid who didn't have the guts to kill my enemies. I was weak, and worthless, and Ellie was out of my league. She needed someone stronger, someone who wasn't a submissive, impulsive coward.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I heard rapid, three-beat patterns of hoofbeats resound off the valley's mountains. "Aw, shit…" I moaned, searching frantically for a place to hide. There weren't many in a narrow valley with a river on one side and a steep, unclimbable slope on the other. I opted for the dense trees by the river, hastily dismounting and tugging Callus II into the protection of the conifers.

I made myself as flat as possible, spreading my body out on the dead pine needles as the hoofbeats got closer. I prayed that they wouldn't see Callus II, but he was standing stock-still, ears pricked towards the approaching horses. I hoped he would sense my anxiety and not give away our cover.

"I thought I saw something around this bend, Harvey." I grit my teeth as I recognized Taylor's gruff voice. I didn't know if I was happy or disappointed that he wasn't dead.

"I dunno, Taylor. It looked like a buck to me. It just disappeared into the woods." Harvey replied, and I glimpsed his bright shock of orange hair flickering like campfire flames in the sun.

There was silence for a moment. And then, "Well, Ellie and Aaron couldn't have gotten too far with a horse in last night's storm. Keep looking, I want Joel's bait back alive." Taylor ordered in his army voice.

I expected to hear fading hoofbeats, but instead Harvey spoke again, this time feebly, "Actually Taylor, Gale and I, uhh…found Joel. He stole that car we fixed up. We were going to tell you last night, but-"

"-He _what_?" Taylor's voice was dangerously low, "Are you trying to tell me that bloodthirsty bastard _stole _our only working car? And you _let _him?"

"No, of course we didn't let him! He knocked Gale out, but I got a good hit in with my bat. It's not like the car battery would have lasted much longer, anyway." Harvey reassured my ex-guardian, but I realized his mistake before he did. Rule number two with Taylor: _Never _make him mad. My ribs and I learned that lesson the hard way.

I almost jumped out of my skin as a gunshot split the air, and Callus II gave a shrill whinny as he bolted through the trees. I rolled out of the way as his hind hoof missed my head by mere inches. I made the mistake of getting up and running after him, momentarily forgetting about Taylor. I caught Callus II's reins just as we cleared the trees, and I froze when I heard the click of a pistol's hammer. Taylor's pistol.

"Well, I see you're not dead, Aaron. Did Ellie and Joel realize you were a traitor and leave you behind?" Taylor greeted in his usual rasp.

I decided not to tell him about my immunity, so I minutely nodded. "Yeah, that's right. You gonna shoot me, too?" I replied bitterly, my eyes flitting to Harvey's bloody corpse for a second.

"No, of course not. Did they drive up to Jackson?" was Taylor's next question. His tone was casual, like he hadn't just shot a man for incompetence.

"Yes Sir." _Where else would they fucking go? _I wanted to spit at him, but I didn't want a hole through my head just yet.

I held my breath as a brief silence spread between us, until I heard the rustling of fabric. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Taylor put away his gun. I breathed again, relaxing.

"Let's go get them, then. Let's end this goose chase." Taylor said, leaning expectantly over his saddle horn.

I dared to throw a questioning glance at him. Did he still think I was loyal to him? No way in hell I was going anywhere with that bastard. "I don't want to kill them, Taylor. You already know that." I protested.

Taylor and I stared hard at each other for a moment, and then I hunched my shoulders and broke my gaze. It was a tiny gesture, but enough to tell him he still had control over me. I hated myself for it. "Aaron, Ellie and Joel abandoned you. They obviously don't give a shit if you live or not. I may be harsh in my punishments, but I still care about you. I still want to protect you."

I vigorously shook my head, slowly backing away. "You're such a fucking liar, Taylor! Why the fuck can't you just scold or yell at me when I do something wrong? Why do you have to beat me unconscious? If you don't want me to die so much, why do you want me to get a punctured lung or a brain hemorrhage?" My voice had risen to a shout, and my head ached. I tried not to gag on the stench of the blood pooling around Harvey's dead, crumpled body. I wanted to lie down in a cool, dark, quiet place, but I knew it wasn't possible. I just wanted to be alone, and I didn't care how boring it would be. Loneliness was better than facing Taylor.

For once, Taylor was speechless. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but no sound came out. I stood there glaring viciously at him, my lungs heaving from the strain of yelling at him. After what seemed like an eternity, he explained in an uncharacteristically feeble voice, "I don't want you to die, Aaron. Your mother's ghost would haunt me for eternity if I let you. I just…I did what I thought your father would do."

"You're a spineless coward if you want to imitate my dad! Only cowards with no compassion beat their children instead of setting a proper example for them!" I yelled until my throat felt raw, "My mother may have liked Ellie better, but she stopped Dad before he could go too far! What would she think of you, her second-in-command, beating her only son until he died?"

Taylor's eyes filled with something I had never seen in them before. Regret. Sorrow. Self-loathing. I didn't think he was capable of feeling any of the three. Then I remembered Taylor was still human, as hard as that was to believe.

"You're right. I am a coward." Taylor murmured, breaking the heavy silence between us. Even the birds and the river seemed to have gone quiet, waiting to see how this argument would turn out.

I stepped back, my furious expression contorting into a confused one. Taylor never agreed with me, at least not recently. "Wait, what?" I cocked my head, bewildered.

Taylor took a deep breath, letting it all out in one, loud whoosh. "I'm a coward if I think beating you is the same thing as scolding you. But it's not. One is correcting you, and the other…is abuse. If your mother were still alive, she would have shot me in that barn if she saw what I did to you. I'm sorry."

I narrowed my eyes at him, shifting my weight uneasily. I didn't believe it, not for one second. Beating me once was one thing. Beating me once, apologizing, and then beating me _again_ was another. There was no way he could earn that trust back. There was no guarantee he wouldn't beat me again, either.

"I don't believe you. You're not sorry! Get out of my face, old man!" I spat at him, watching his sincere expression fall into one of sadness.

Taylor didn't move. He didn't ride away, dejected, nor did he pull his pistol on me again. He just sat in the saddle, shoulders pathetically slumped forward. Taylor regarded me with a crestfallen expression, and my frown became a snarl. Boy, he was laying it on thick. He must have taken acting classes before the infection hit, or something. He sure was good at making himself seem like something he wasn't.

"I know you won't forgive me right now, and maybe you never truly will, but I want to make it up to you. I promise I won't beat you again, but you probably don't believe me-"

"Fucking right." I vehemently cut across him.

"Let me finish," Taylor continued patiently, "I promise I won't ever lay a hand in anger on you again. You have my word. How can I prove it to you, Aaron?"

Spite and sympathy warred within me for dominance as I held myself back from making another hateful remark.

_He doesn't mean it. Don't fall into the same trap. _One side warned.

_He wants forgiveness! Look, the poor man's practically begging you! _The other implored.

_Just wait until you slip up and he drowns you in the river. Or shoots you and runs off. Make him suffer for what he did to you! _My spiteful side hissed.

_If he truly wants forgiveness, let him prove it! Convince him not to kill Joel and Ellie! _My sympathetic side's voice rang out true and strong above my vengeful one.

I straightened my back, staring Taylor right in the eye. "You can prove it by not killing Joel and Ellie. If this really isn't another one of your acts, swear to me you won't kill them. I want your fucking word, old man." I demanded with an authority I didn't know I had.

Taylor's jaw clenched as his body stiffened in the saddle. I could tell he was on the verge of declining, but then the thirst for revenge seeped out of his clear, blue eyes. "I swear. I won't kill them." He grudgingly spit out.

"You try to hurt either one and I will shoot you dead, Taylor." I warned. He nodded solemnly in understanding. "Good. Now do you know how to get to Jackson?" My tone turned more civil, but I still kept the sharp edge to it just for good measure. Taylor needed to know there weren't any loopholes in this and I wasn't going to back down this time.

"I've been there before. Heh, I knew you'd get lost without me. Bet you didn't know there's not a cabin or town for nigh on twenty miles in this valley." Taylor smiled, relaxing. He was back to his old, mentor self again. Back to the way I missed the most.

I allowed myself a tiny smirk, but it quickly disappeared. We were still on rocky ground as far as I was concerned, and he had a long ways to go before he and I were on friendly terms again.

At least it was a start.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry this took so long! I had a full week of shows for musical theatre, getting home at 11 pm every night :P**

**So, do you believe Taylor really wants forgiveness? Or is it just another one of his acts? Let me know in a review, and tell me what you think will happen next! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	13. Lost

"How's your arm doing, Aaron?" Taylor asked after we had been riding for a few minutes.

I shrugged my good shoulder, "It'll be alright. Still hurts, but at least it wasn't my shooting arm."

Taylor nodded imperceptibly, and an awkward silence expanded between us. It was like he had forgotten how to talk to me. I knew he was just trying to lighten the mood, or convince me that he meant what he said, but neither one was working.

I still felt uneasy around Taylor, and I couldn't help but shoot wary, sidelong glances at him, like I expected him to pull out his gun and shoot me like he did Harvey. I noticed he was riding Joel's horse, the black one with the white face and legs. It just made me more disgusted, like the horse was some kind of twisted trophy of the man who was supposed to be dead.

"How much farther is it to Jackson?" I pondered aloud, just to relieve some of the tension between us.

"About thirty miles. We should be there by nightfall if we aren't interrupted. Don't worry, you'll get to see Ellie again. I bet she misses you." Taylor attempted to smile, but it just ended up as a stretched, taut line across the lower half of his face.

I scoffed, feeling some of the awkwardness ebb away. Taylor always knew what to say, even if the delivery was sub-par. "She probably thinks I'm dead. Why else would she have left with Joel?"

It was Taylor's turn to scoff. It turned into a rumbling chuckle, which made me smile a little. "Maybe because I was after them? They don't have to worry about me no more…I'm keeping my promise to you. No more hunting people for revenge, unless they're trying to kill me."

The sincerity in his voice sounded forced, but I brushed it off. At least he was trying. For me. Being evil was easy, but trying to be good even when you want to be evil was the hardest of all. I believed Taylor wanted to be a better man, I really did. He just had a difficult time controlling his vices.

"So where's the nearest place where we can rest up for the night?" I queried, relaxing my stiff shoulders a little more. The sharp edge to my voice softened the more time I spent with peaceful Taylor.

Taylor smirked playfully at me, "You tired already? We've barely been riding for half an hour!"

I shook my head, chuckling a bit. It felt odd coming out of my throat, like it was a sound I wasn't naturally supposed to make. "No, I mean is it just mountains and valleys from here on out? Or is there a town between here and Jackson?"

Taylor pursed his lips, thinking. I waited patiently, swaying to the movements of my horse. With the sun directly overhead, the mountains didn't supply any reprieve from the heat. But unlike last night's fever, the warmth was pleasant on my skin.

"There's a small town called South Park, but it's barely a blip on the map. We could ride right past it and not have to stop at all. We'd have to go out of our way to find the nasty places off the highway." Taylor said, falling silent for a moment. Then he laughed again, the kind that came with an inside joke only he knew, "South Park…"

I cocked my head. "What's so funny about a backwater town like South Park?"

Taylor waved a hand, explaining, "Naw, it's just…back before the infection my sister's kids loved to watch this T.V series called South Park. I didn't think it was appropriate for twelve-year olds to be watching, especially because it was on late at night on school days, but…they watched it anyway." His expression grew sombre, and I knew he was remembering happier days. Safer days.

I wasn't familiar with T.V shows, but I had seen a few movies back in Boston. "Why wasn't it appropriate?" Hell, I had seen twelve-year olds do _much _worse than watch late-night shows. Actually, I've never seen them do that, but I _have _seen them shoot people, fight people, and generally do things people twice their age would blanch at.

"It uhh…had a lot of swearing," Taylor paused as a bark of laughter escaped my mouth without permission, "some violence like shooting, and it was just one of those shows that mocked a lot of things."

"Sounds a lot like the Boston Fireflies…except without the mocking." I retorted, feeling another smile crawl up my face.

Taylor's expression darkened again, and my grin dissolved. "Aaron…when we get to Jackson, what are we going to do? If this whole thing was about avenging Marlene, what's the point of going there now that we're not hunting Joel?"

I wasn't completely convinced he had stopped hunting Joel for good, I still felt that uneasiness gnawing at my insides. "I dunno…I want to see Ellie again. I don't want to go back to Salt Lake, Taylor. There's nothing for me there."

Surprise etched itself onto Taylor's face, but it quickly faded. "Aaron…that's your home. Your friends, your family's all there. You can't just throw it all away because you aren't ready to step into your mother's shoes. Somebody else can always take over."

My brow furrowed. I hadn't thought of it like that. I always thought I had to be leader, and there was no way around it. But he had only put his finger on half my problem. "It's not just that…I never felt like I belonged there, Taylor. There were never any people my age, I was always getting in the way, and nobody even acknowledged me other than to tell me to fuck off. I was miserable when I left, and I'll be miserable when I come back."

Taylor was silent for a moment, too long for my liking. Then finally, "I guess we've reached an impasse, then, because I ain't just gonna dump you in Jackson and go back to Salt Lake. We stick together, son."

I gave him an appreciative glance. "Thanks, Taylor. But…do you really care about me that much?" Memories of the beating in the barn and the resort flashed across my mind's eye, and my ribs ached in response. I had good reason to doubt him.

"You don't think I do?" My guardian asked quietly, but then he seemed to think twice about it. "No…no, I guess not. I have a long ways to go, don't I?"

"Yeah, you do." I muttered under my breath.

Another quiet settled on us, but this time it wasn't as long. "If you really want to see Ellie again, we can work something out when we get to Jackson. You like that girl a lot, don't you?" Taylor asked. He had that knowing twinkle in his eye that made heat creep up my neck.

I instinctively scratched the back of my neck, averting my gaze. "I uhh…I guess you could say that. She's probably forgotten all about me, though. I bet Jackson is full of guys her age that have a better shot than I do."

"Don't go jumping to conclusions," the gleam from Taylor's clear eyes faded, "you did more for her than any of those dumb teenage boys, even if it was to keep her away from me. She owes you her life, and people don't forget things like that. She'll be at that gate waiting for you, I know she will." He gave me a smile that I couldn't help returning. I was tempted to throw away my suspicions, but I couldn't just yet.

"Says the man who beat me for trying to kiss her…" I mumbled, but unfortunately it was loud enough for Taylor to hear. He gave a grunt, and that was the end of the conversation.

* * *

"Where's the town?" I asked in confusion several hours later. The land had opened up to reveal fields full of wavy, tall yellow grass interspersed with scraggly green bushes and trees. The mountains were lower now, but tall enough to provide some relief from the oppressive afternoon heat. Taylor and I rode in the thin band of shade cast by the hills to our right, reins slack on our horses' necks.

"I said there wasn't much here. Just houses and construction depos, mostly. You want to rest the horses by those buildings over there? Looks like there's some good shade." Taylor offered, pointing to a cluster of low, brown buildings behind a wall of spindly trees. I nodded, turning Callus II off the highway and onto the dirt path.

I listened hard for the sound of Infected, but none came from behind the rust-coloured walls of the metal buildings. It looked like just a dozen long warehouses, but those were often much taller. They had the same garage-style doors, though, the ones opened by chain pulleys.

I slid off Callus II's back, letting out a tiny squeak as my thighs burned something awful. "I'm going to go look around. Try to find some water for the horses, maybe." I said, stiffly wandering off with my pistol in hand.

"Be careful." Taylor called after me, and I waved it off.

I tried the door to one of the low buildings, one that wasn't blocked from the inside. I quietly eased the door open, stepping from dirt onto concrete. Light spilled through the high, dusty windows to illuminate uniform, yellow squares on the floor. Something familiar was crammed against the walls beside the windows. Something that filled me with dread.

Desks.

Gruelling history lessons and frustrating math classes flashed through my mind, making me shudder. I swore I could taste the wood of my chewed up pencil in my mouth. There was even a blackboard bolted to the wall at the far end. I raised an eyebrow when I saw something written on it in white chalk.

I knew what it was before I even crossed the room. It was a vaguely accurate map of South Park, with tangles of arrows pointing to tiny rectangles, and scribbles of "Infected-No Good" and "Clear" beside every one. I didn't see or hear any Infected, so I continued my exploration of the makeshift classroom.

Bedrolls were haphazardly strewn about on the floor, with filthy blankets crumpled up at regular intervals. I cautiously stepped over empty cans of food, but I stuffed any stray energy bars in my pack along with bullet cartridges. Whoever lived here had been decently stocked, I realized. There seemed to be a lot of them, too. I stopped counting after a dozen bedrolls.

Entranced by the spider webs of arrows on the blackboard, I made the mistake of not looking where I stepped. A metallic clatter resounded loudly through the classroom, and an empty can of pineapples rolled away from me as I stumbled. I froze as soon as I caught myself, my eyes going wide as one of the heaps of blankets twisted and writhed in my peripheral vision.

"What the hell? I'm trying to sleep, dumb fuck!" A gravelly voice grunted in annoyance. The dishevelled, burly man furiously rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and I couldn't believe I was still standing there like a frozen deer. "Hey, who the hell are you?" His greasy forehead formed wrinkles as my breathing stopped.

I bolted out the door just as I heard the Hunter bellowing, "Intruder!" and bullets whizzed by my head. I ducked under the door, only to barrel into another hole-riddled, filthy-smelling Hunter. We both toppled to the ground, but I was up first, making a beeline for Taylor and the horses. I saw Taylor trotting out on his black horse from underneath the stand of trees as the clamor of aggravated Hunters rose from the buildings behind me.

I cleared the last warehouse when another Hunter grabbed me from behind the corner, clamping his arms tight around my torso. I wanted to scream in frustration, but it died in my throat as I felt a cold circle of metal pressed to my temple.

"Let him go, he's mine." Taylor growled from atop his horse as he rode up to me and my new captor.

Unwashed human and dirt burned my nose, and I saw nothing but Taylor's carefully constructed poker face. I looked pleadingly at him to help me, but I could think of nothing but the gun pressed to my head.

"Naw, he's a curious little guy. I think I'll keep him." The Hunter purred maliciously from behind me. A shiver of disgust crawled down my spine as his rancid breath added to the assault on my nose.

"I don't want this to get ugly, man. Let him go and we'll be on our way." Taylor's voice held a note of warning, and I saw his hand inch ever so slowly behind his back. By now, I heard other voices behind me, and blurry human shapes materialized in my peripheral vision.

The Hunter seemed to consider the offer, because he was quiet for a moment. Then, "Give us all your supplies and we'll let sonny boy here go. C'mon, we ain't got all day."

I resisted the urge to gag.

Taylor's mouth was a hard line, and I saw the sweat bead across his receding, silvery hairline. "You know as well as I do that you're gonna shoot my boy before he even takes a step."

"Probably." The Hunter agreed. I let out an inaudible whimper.

Any way I looked at it, I was definitely going to die.

A dangerous smirk played on Taylor's lips, one that scared me even more than the gun to my head. "Well, he's pretty important to me. I don't want him to die."

In the deathly silence that had settled on the spectating Hunters, a gunshot rang out. Suddenly the arms restraining me disappeared and I vaulted myself onto Callus II's back just as the din of confused shouting and whizzing bullets followed the Hunter's death. Taylor and I raced out of the school yard without a moment's hesitation and I noticed his gun was still smoking. I didn't need to ask who shot my captor.

I don't know how long we galloped for, but eventually our horses tired and we stopped by the side of the road. The Hunters were long gone, but the adrenaline was still pumping through my veins. "That was fucking awesome, how'd you shoot so fast?" I breathlessly asked Taylor, my lips stretched in a wild grin.

"Practice, son." Taylor's voice sounded unusually strained, and I threw a concerned look at him. Then I noticed it. His left hand was all bloody.

"Hey, what happened? You get nicked by a bullet?" I asked, hopping off Callus II. Taylor's face was a worrying shade of gray.

"More than nicked, I think." Taylor forced out through gritted teeth, and I gently took his hand away from his red plaid shirt. My fingers came away a dark shade of burgundy, slick with blood. With a groan Taylor hunched over, and I eased him onto the blacktop, digging rags and gauze out of my pack, before the panic roiling within me consumed me.

The acrid stench of blood seared my nose as I pressed the rags to Taylor's side. There was so much blood; too much. It seeped through the rag instantly, and I hastily replaced it with another one. It stained my hands red, and I looked helplessly at Taylor's ashen face. His eyes were half-lidded, but he was still breathing, choppy and shallow as it was.

"Stay with me, Taylor. You're gonna be okay. We stick together, right?" My words sounded fake, even to my own ears. I was lying to him, just like he was to me. My voice wavered and I felt heat behind my eyes. The edges of my vision blurred, and my bottom lip wouldn't stop quivering.

I felt something weakly push at my hands. Taylor feebly swatted my blood-soaked rags from his abdomen. "Taylor, I'm not letting you die! Don't leave me alone like this!" I whimpered desperately, the tears spilling over my eyelids now.

"Do you…forgive me?" Taylor croaked, fixing his dim, blue eyes on me.

I nodded vigorously, gripping his limp hand with mine. "Yeah, 'course. I forgive you, for everything." I could barely force the words out. Suddenly I regretted being so reluctant to give him another shot, to believe his promises. I regretted being harsh on him when all he wanted was to make it up to me.

"I'll say hi…to Marlene…she was…" Taylor's hand slipped from mine, and his breath came out in one gentle exhale. His blank, blue eyes were still fixed on me, and I closed them with shaking hands.

My exhales became mournful keening as I rocked myself back and forth, my bloody arms wrapped tight around my knees. I lost track of time, and by the time I pulled myself together enough to stumble over to where the horses were quietly grazing, my head was pounding and my legs could barely hold my weight.

I hauled myself onto Callus II, still blinking tears from my eyes as I tied the ebony horse's reins to my saddle horn. I considered burying Taylor, but then I realized I had nothing to dig a hole with. I would have to leave him there, to rot in the baking sun. Sniffling, I took one last look at Taylor's corpse before plodding along the highway once more.

I didn't know where I was supposed to go anymore, but I unconsciously steered my horses closer to the glimmering Snake in the distance. The river was nothing but a far-off band of blue winding its way into the forested hills, but if I was going to Tommy's, I reasoned his dam would be somewhere along the water. I veered off the highway, past a bent street sign that read "Loop Rd.".

* * *

**A/N: I'm sure some of you are happy about getting Taylor out of the picture. How do you think Aaron will carry on after his death? Will he ever be the same again? Let me know in a review! Thanks for reading! **


	14. New Blood

**A/N: I've gotten so many positive reviews, and this story isn't even finished! I love you guys, thank you so much! I bet you're wondering what will happen now that Taylor is dead. I am too. Predictions are always welcome ;) Will Aaron and Ellie EVER reunite? Probably. But don't ask me when, because I have no idea. Enjoy!**

I didn't know _what _I was supposed to feel. I was a roiling cauldron of emotions, ready to spill over and burn anyone and anything around me. I was angry, grieving, lost, and vulnerable; the list went on. Anything could make me snap and if that happened, I didn't know what I was going to do. Kill something, probably.

I felt like killing something.

I had no idea Taylor made me feel so protected, even when I wasn't completely sure he was on my side. All I knew was that he had saved my life, and died because of me.

It was all my fault.

I wasn't strong enough to save him.

_Taylor died because of the Hunters, not because of you. _My conscience tried to soothe my gnashing, restless emotions. It didn't work.

_If I hadn't gone nosing into that warehouse, this would never have happened! If I shot that Hunter before he could catch me, Taylor would be riding with me right now! _I mentally yelled back. My conscience shut up.

My thoughts quieted for a moment, enough for me to take in my surroundings. Callus II and Ebony, as I now called Taylor's horse, plodded along at a leisurely pace along Loop Rd. To my right was a sparse wall of trees, and behind them I spotted residential homes that were probably the same ones depicted on the Hunters' chalkboard. To my left was an endless farmer's field, overgrown with grasses and weeds, but I could still discern the perfectly straight rows. The husk of a combine sat baking in the afternoon sun by the decrepit fence.

I blinked at the sun, and I noticed it was dangerously low in the western half of the sky. I wondered how long I had spent mourning by Taylor's corpse, and I determined I had lost a good hour or two. I had a couple hours of daylight left, but I needed to start thinking about making camp. Ebony threw his head up as an inhuman screech echoed from the backyard of one of the houses. I spied decaying fingers reaching through the branches, and I sighed in relief when I realized there was a fence between me and the Infected.

Still, I nudged Callus II into a trot so we could move as far away from the infested houses as possible. Neighbourhoods were definitely _not _on my list of possible camp sites. So that just left…I spotted a promising bridge about a quarter-mile away. It was better than trying to clear a house that had Clickers and whatever else lurking within a ten-foot radius of the front door.

I sighed a little; I wasn't a fan of sleeping outside, but what was my alternative? Getting torn apart or shot in the head in the middle of the night? I didn't even have the firepower to shoot more than a few Clickers, anyway. It was only for one night, anyway. By tomorrow I would be in Tommy's place, with Ellie in my arms and a hot meal in my stomach.

_Ellie…_I slipped back into the memories of last night, remembering the feeling of Ellie's lips on mine, her hair between my fingers, and the heat of her body against mine…I almost whimpered in yearning when I came crashing back to reality by an unfamiliar, female voice.

"Don't you come any closer! I have a gun!" The woman sounded young, her alto ringing with warning in my ears. I squinted at the bridge as Ebony gave a nervous whinny, searching for the source of the voice.

I spotted a head of brunette hair blending in with the fur of a brown horse with a black mane and tail. Her pale skin gave a stark contrast against the horse, and the navy tank top she was wearing. Her jeans were rolled up to her knees and I spied a pair of sneakers on a nearby rock. The shallow creek between us gurgled and babbled along the gravelly riverbed, cutting through the farmer's fields.

"Umm…hi. I'm just passing through, don't mind me." I attempted a calm, soothing voice, the best one to use when I had a pistol pointed at me. It came out as more of an annoyed, impatient tone. I didn't feel like talking to anyone right now, especially paranoid teenagers.

"You ain't gonna shoot me, are you? I don't have any supplies with me, I'm just washin' Becky." The brunette girl still didn't put her gun down as I kept riding, her Southern twang becoming more discernable the closer I got. It took me a second to realize Becky was the brown horse.

God, I didn't have time for this. I had to find a safe place to make camp before sunset.

"Look, I don't want your shit. I don't want to kill you either, so if you'd stop pointing that pistol at me, that'd be great." I retorted sharply, and the girl gave me a surprised glance, lowering her gun.

"Really? You're not the type of person who kills things for the hell of it, are ya? I guess you would have shot me by now if you were…you didn't come from that group of Hunters up the street, did ya? They're nasty fuckers, aren't they?" The girl continued. I halted on the other side of the creek.

_I'll kill you if you don't shut the fuck up…_I grit my teeth, shifting in my saddle. I took another look at her, and decided not to. She was too pretty to kill, with curly brunette hair falling past her shoulders, freckles scattered across her straight nose and high cheekbones, and her short, strong body frame. She was probably Elli's height, if not a little shorter, and with more muscle in her shoulders.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm not a Hunter, so you don't have to worry about me. I'll just get out of your hair." I made to turn my horses around, but again the girl stopped me. My fingers inched towards the gun nestled against the small of my back.

"Where'd you get those horses, then? Looks to me like there was somebody else riding with ya. No skinny kid like you can steal _two _horses from a pack of Hunters." She attempted to smile, but it didn't last long under my icy glare.

I worked my jaw, curling my fingers into my thigh to keep them from gripping my pistol. "That's none of your business. Now I'd appreciate it if you shut up so I can find a place to camp before sunset."

The girl, instead of making that high-pitched, haughty "hmph" noise I associated with being insulted, smiled at me again. "Well, why didn't ya say so? My group would be happy to lend you a blanket and a hot can of beans for one night! We've got plenty to spare! Plus, uhh…you look like you could use a little TLC, ya know?"

_Tender loving care? Oh, please. _"I don't think so." I snapped.

A hurt expression contorted the girl's pretty features, but she quickly brightened up again. "Don't blame me if we start shootin' at ya for trespassin', then. You'd get by safe with me and you wouldn't have to sleep under the bridge." She smirked, and I raised an eyebrow. _How did she…? _I decided not to ask.

Honestly, I wasn't willing to trust any strangers.

Honestly, right now I was too tired and numb to care.

"Fine. Where's this camp of yours?" I gave in, wiping the sweat off my forehead. The movement seemed to catch her eye because she glanced at my hand.

"About a mile that way," she pointed in the direction I was supposed to be travelling in, "past all those houses full of Infected and Hunter patrols. My name's Charlotte, by the way. What's yours?" She bounced on the balls of her feet, as if excited to have made a new friend.

I sighed. I knew I was going to regret this. "Aaron. My name's Aaron."

Charlotte smiled brightly again, padding over to the rock and tugging her sneakers on. "Alrighty, then! Well met, Aaron! Let's get going, shall we?" She clipped a rope to Becky's halter, leading her out of the creek.

I met up with her on the other side after I crossed the bridge, and no surprise, she started yapping again. I missed those comfortable silences with Ellie, when she only said things when she needed to, or when she thought of something funny.

"So, where'd ya come from, Aaron? I was born and raised in Dallas, and we're heading to Vancouver, Canada. I hear the QZ's there aren't as shitty as they are down here." Charlotte almost sang. Like an obnoxious finch, she never got tired of hearing her own voice.

"That's because there isn't anything _in _Canada. It's just open land, with a few cities here and there. Not to mention so much forest, it would be impossible for spores to spread since the air is so fresh," I muttered, "I'm from Salt Lake City, but I was born in Boston."

Charlotte flicked the rope over her horse's neck and effortlessly swung herself onto her back. "Wow, so you're a Firefly? We've got a few ex-Fireflies ourselves, too." She giggled when she saw my worried expression, "Don't worry, we don't care who you used to run with. As long as you help provide for the group and you don't try to eat us, we don't mind if you're a Firefly, soldier, or ex-Hunter."

I grunted to let her know I heard her. I kept my eyes on the road ahead, occasionally glancing at the backyards of various houses to my right. "How many of you _are _there, anyway?" I queried, just to fill the surprisingly comfortable silence between us.

"Oh…" She paused, and her brow scrunched in concentration, "about thirty. But people come and go, so the number's always changing."

I let out a low whistle, surprised. I had expected less than ten. "That's a pretty big group. How do you keep everyone in check?" Back in Salt Lake, we had supervisors for every department, but out here there wasn't so much organization.

"Well, we're a pretty nice bunch, but the boys sometimes get into tiffs. If somebody's _real _bad, we kick them out. But otherwise, a good scolding from Nigel usually keeps people in line. Nigel's really scary when he's mad, even the other adults are afraid of him when he's angry. But he's usually pretty friendly. A bit rough around the edges, though." Charlotte chattered, and I made a mental note to keep control of my temper. _That _was going to be difficult, since just the slightest odd look could set me off.

I fell quiet, but I noticed Charlotte giving me glances in my peripheral vision. Just like with Ellie, I took notice and snapped, "What?"

Charlotte smiled radiantly instead of looking away, "It's just your hair. How do you braid it like that? It looks really neat."

I rolled my eyes. I swear, this girl had the curiosity of a five-year old and the mechanics of a tape player with a broken stop button. "I just do, okay?"

Charlotte pursed her lips. "I'm just curious, no need to be rude. Who stuck a rifle up your ass?"

"I'm not one of those sociable people." I mumbled.

"Well, _I'm _not one of those quiet people." Charlotte shot back.

I let out an exhausted breath. "Obviously."

Charlotte narrowed her eyes at me. "I'm ignoring that comment. So why are you riding through Wyoming all by your lonesome? I can tell there was somebody with you. Did they die? People aren't usually so bitter unless somebody died."

There were just some things you shouldn't say to people, but apparently Charlotte never learned that lesson. Or, she was just so accustomed to having people die or leave her that the topic was as commonplace as asking what you had for breakfast.

"Something like that…I'm heading up to Jackson County; I've got a few friends over there." I said disinterestedly, fixing my gaze on the road again.

"Anybody special?" Charlotte drawled knowingly.

I hesitated, thinking of Ellie. Then I thought of how she left me to die. When you're grieving, it's easy to make enemies out of people who hurt you, even if they didn't mean to. "Sort of…not really. I dunno. What about you?"

My new friend giggled again, a high, musical sound that put my roiling emotions at ease for a second. But only for a second. "Yeah, there's Quinn, but he's a bit of a jerk at first. He's real friendly once you get to know him, though. He just doesn't open up to people like I do."

_Maybe that's a good thing. _I scoffed in my head. "Sounds like me." I said dryly.

"Yeah, maybe you'd get along with him? Did you ever play poker? The guys _love _to gamble. Cards, horse racing, wrestling, anything where you can bet on something, they'll play it." Charlotte smirked, and I shook my head.

"I never played cards. I'm too scrawny to wrestle, but I guess I could race. Aren't you afraid you'll injure your horses, though?" I asked, feeling myself ease up a little. Charlotte was like one of those vibrant, pet birds who knew how to talk. You couldn't help getting friendly, listening to her jabber until the vendor chased you away.

Charlotte shook her head, her curls bouncing along with the movement. "Naw, we only do half-mile races. Your horses look like they'd be good at that, I mean aren't they Quarter horses?"

I shrugged. I knew nothing about horse breeds. "I don't know. I'm not a horse guy."

The brunette girl smiled again, and I felt the edges of my lips curl up the slightest bit. I forced them down as the image of Taylor's corpse lingered in my mind's eye.

"That's alright, Ricky's our expert horseman. He's only twenty, but he used to live on a ranch. He'll be able to tell, for sure. I bet you can't beat our purebred Thoroughbred gelding, though. Shad's the fastest thing on four legs!" Charlotte twittered excitedly, but the buzz was lost on me. I had no idea what a Thoroughbred looked like, but I vaguely knew what a gelding was. So I just nodded, pretending to understand what she was talking about.

All too soon, we turned off the road and onto a dirt driveway. At the end I could see a cluster of low buildings, along with hazy shells of trucks and a combine. But blurry shapes milled about between the wavering structures, and I made out a few larger ones. Horses and people, I presumed.

Charlotte must have noticed the tension in my body because she said, "They'll like you, don't worry! You're with me, so they won't dare lay a finger on you. By 'they', I mean the guys. They enjoy bullying the newbies."

That didn't comfort me at all. It sounded just like the gangs at Boston's Military Boarding School. You just had to look at them funny and they beat you up. I nodded anyway, trying not to look at the people who stared as I rode by. I guess they didn't see many young people roughing it out by themselves.

The conglomeration of people thickened the closer we got to the buildings. Small garages for trucks and tractors, a barn, and a farmhouse materialized from the hazy heat radiating off the road. They were all various shades of rust on metal, except for the house, which was a sickly shade of yellow. A gaping hole was blown through one wall.

I counted four other horses, not including Becky. Two were spotted like Taylor's old horse, and another had black and white patches. The last one was taller than the rest, with spindly legs like a spider. Its fur was an off-white, but the nose was black.

"Who do we have here? Where'd you find him, Char?" asked a man with legs as long and thin as the white horse he was standing beside. His shallow, medium tenor matched his scrawny frame.

"Damn Hunters killed this poor kid's partner! Do you know where Nigel is, Ricky?" Charlotte queried, scanning the scattered pairs and trios wandering from building to building, or sitting on the grass chatting.

I raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. This spindly kid was only twenty, _and _he used to be a cowboy? He definitely didn't look the part, but I noticed there was a bit more muscle to his shoulders and arms than I first thought, as I watched him secure the girth of a tiny saddle to the white horse's back.

"He's walking around taking inventory. Hey, you gonna race with us today? We've got a good stretch of blacktop here, and Quinn's still itchin' to show you up after yesterday's ass-whopping." Ricky turned to me as if I had just materialized out of the heavy, sticky air. "You ride?"

I shrugged. "I guess. Got nothing else to do." I mumbled.

Ricky nodded, ignoring me again as he resumed talking to Charlotte. "So Quinn's riding Shad here," he patted the white horse's shoulder, "I'm riding Melody, and you're on Sparky. We meet at Loop and Cortland, and race to this driveway in fifteen minutes. Which horse are you riding, new kid?" Ricky glanced between me, Callus II, and Ebony.

"I'm riding Callus II here. Where can I put Ebony?" I asked as Charlotte hopped off Becky.

"I'll take her, she and Becky can graze with Sandy." Before I could protest, Charlotte was already leading my horse away with her own. I was left alone with Ricky, who eyed me up and down like I was an interesting piece of meat.

"What's your name, new kid?" Ricky queried, pushing his mop of brown hair back. It was lanky and greasy-he was obviously in need of a good bath in the river. His tattered jeans and hole-riddled green t-shirt weren't any better.

"My name's Aaron. Now you can stop calling me 'new kid'." I said moodily. After a short pause I asked, "What's with the tiny-ass saddle?" I jutted my chin out towards the saddle on Shad's back.

Ricky snorted, tugging the last girth buckle into place. "You've never seen a racing saddle? No, I guess not…not many our age have. Horses like Shad here used to be bred just for racing. They were called Thoroughbreds, and these were the saddles they used. Quinn just wants to ride this guy because he's fast. Kid can't stand losing to his girlfriend." He chuckled, then switched to inspecting Callus II.

"Nice Quarter horse you've got here. Solid, strong, nice healthy coat. You've been taking good care of him. Where'd you get him and that mare of yours, again?" Ricky continued, walking around my horse. I dismounted for him since I had nothing else to do, and my legs were starting to get sore.

"I uhh…stole them from some Hunters on my way here. You know, before my partner died." I didn't look at Ricky as I spoke, and I was glad he didn't press the subject.

When Charlotte came back, she was leading the black and white horse I assumed was Sparky, and a lean, red-haired boy led one of the spotted horses as they chatted with each other, their heads bent close. The redhead I presumed was Quinn gave me a haughty smirk.

"I like me some fresh meat. Ready to break your neck at a gallop, new kid?" Quinn jeered, earning a sharp elbow to the ribs from Charlotte.

Charlotte gave me a tired smile as Ricky and Quinn switched horses. "Don't listen to him, he's just being mean."

Quinn vaulted himself up onto Shad's back as Ricky did the same for his horse. "We need to break the new kid in, Char. He has to prove himself if he's gonna stay. No pussies allowed in this camp."

I shook my head, "I'll be gone by morning, trust me. I just need a safe place to crash for the night."

"Whatever," scoffed the redhead, "are you racing or not?"

I rolled my eyes, mounting Callus II again. He pinned his ears back in annoyance, but I mentally promised him he could have a good roll in the grass when we were done. "Let's get it over with." I said, following Ricky as he led the way up the dirt road. It was almost sunset now, just under a couple hours before dark. The shadows of the roadside trees striped the blacktop, and the distant houses were nothing more than indistinct, block-like shapes.

As we rode, the younger members of the group trailed behind, encouraging others to follow. Soon we had a dozen-strong fan club of kids ranging from age six to around twenty. I bit my lip, knowing I was probably going to come in last place, but I prayed Callus II still had enough energy for a half-mile race. And that he wasn't too pissed off to do what I said.

"Alright, since Aaron's never done this before, I'll lay down some ground rules," called Ricky from the front, "No kicking, shooting, shoving, slashing, or hacking each other while racing. Any violence on horseback will lead to disqualification. This also goes for running other horses off the track, _Charlotte_." He gave the brunette a sharp glare, and she gave him the finger in reply.

I nodded, and then focused on quelling the rising nerves in my chest. "Where's the finish line again?"

Ricky pointed to a beat-up, rusted metal mailbox as we got on the pavement again. "First one past this box here wins a night off sentry duty. Any questions?"

"How many lengths do you think Shad will win by?" queried Quinn, urging Shad into a trot.

"Oh, shut up." Charlotte snapped at him. She turned to me with another bright smile. "Just try your best, alright? I'll keep Quinn away from you in case he tries anything stupid." She promised, earning a tiny smirk from me.

We trotted and cantered our horses to get them warmed up until we reached the starting point, a lonely intersection between what I assumed to be Loop Rd. and Cortland. I lined up beside Ricky and Charlotte, with Quinn on the other side of the brunette.

Ricky pulled a tiny silver pistol from his pocket. "Ready?" All three of us nodded, and for a moment all I heard was my heartbeat hammering loud in my ears. "Go!" The singular gunshot sounded, and I kicked Callus II into a gallop. I glanced to either side of me, and I was neck and neck with Charlotte and Ricky. Quinn, however, was already pulling away on his long-legged horse. I suddenly realized why the racing saddle was so useful for this.

The only part of Quinn that was touching his horse were his muddy work boots. The rest of him was above the saddle, hunched over his horse's neck. The rest of us, meanwhile, had to stand up in the saddle, which made for sore legs and thighs after a few seconds of galloping.

All I could hear was the thundering of hooves and the wind in my ears. I forgot about everything else for a moment as the adrenaline rush drowned any thoughts. Charlotte began to fall behind, but I could tell from the fierce snarl on her face that she was giving it all she had. Ricky just looked bored, already a horse length behind me.

I urged Callus II faster, and around the halfway point Charlotte drifted back so much that Quinn closed in on me. I saw his wicked smirk, and the competitive gleam in his blue eyes. I focused on the road ahead, hearing faint cheering from the driveway that was looming up in the fading light. I winced as Shad's side ground against my right leg, ripping my attention from the road.

"What the fuck?" I yelled at Quinn over the wind.

Quinn smiled at me, feigning innocence. "Oops. Gettin' a little close, are we?"

I drifted to the left, still surprised Callus II was keeping up with the racehorse. We were about a quarter mile from the finish line, but Shad's long body could easily outrun Callus II's shorter one. I dug my heels in, smiling as we began to pull away from Quinn.

I suddenly felt a hand grab my shoulder, roughly pushing me off-balance. I instinctively hugged Callus II's neck as his momentum threw me forward, but it wasn't enough. The pavement rose up in a blur to meet my tumbling body, and everything went black.


	15. Raiders

"Easy there, Aaron. Easy…" I recognized Ricky's high tenor as he crooned.

I groaned in reply. Everything ached in time with my heart, especially my head and my shoulder. "What happened? Where are we?" I croaked, noticing the open, dark, starry sky above the farm had been replaced with towering conifers. I could hear the whooshing of water over rocks somewhere beyond them. How'd we get to the forest? How long had I been out?

Ricky chuckled with something resembling disbelief. "That horse of yours saved your life, man. He slowed down when he felt you get off-balance, and when I tugged on his reins, he almost sat right down on his haunches as you hugged his neck and fell off. Nothing's broken, though. You're a lucky bastard, you know that?"

I smirked weakly. For the past couple of days, I've been feeling anything _but _lucky. I was pretty sure I had the worst luck in the world. "Yeah? What about Quinn? He pushed me off, I know he did."

I watched Ricky's face contort into a frown as the firelight flickered and cast an orange glow on his face. "I know, I saw him. I've never seen Charlotte so mad, yelling at him like she did. She can be a pretty scary bitch." Ricky let out a low whistle, laughing lightly, "He even got a good scolding from Nigel. Quinn was fucking scared shitless. As punishment, he's not allowed to go on the raid."

I raised an eyebrow, coughing a little. Ricky handed me a bottle of water, and I gladly took a few gulps. "Raid? What raid?"

"We're camped in the forest, if you haven't already noticed. Our scouts came back and we packed right up. Said they discovered another camp of Hunters about three miles up north. I've gotta go gear up, but you'll be alright with Nancy and the kids." Ricky said, putting his arms through his bulletproof vest. He grabbed the rifle and baseball bat lying at his feet. I noticed the bat had scissor blades tied at one end.

"I can't come?" I whined. My headache was slowly ebbing away, as was the pain everywhere else. I could fight. I needed to prove I wasn't weak, and I still felt like killing something. Preferably Quinn, but Hunters were just as good.

Ricky shook his head. "You need time to recover. Next time for sure, though. For now, you can sit on the sidelines." He gently patted my good shoulder, standing up and disappearing off into the darkness. He soon reappeared at another campfire some feet away.

I heard horses snort and their hoofbeats made the ground vibrate underneath my head as they trotted by, shapeless in the darkness. They were like the steady beat of a drum, reverberating through my bones and muscles to my very core. Suddenly, a clamor rose among the group, and I propped myself up on my elbow to see what was going on.

I spotted Shad, now with a normal saddle on, an unearthly spectre cantering along a line of about two dozen adults all armed with rifles, bats, anything that could cause serious damage and death. They were armed to the teeth, wearing the same bulletproof vests as Ricky. I also noticed that their other horses were also part of the tiny militia.

Even more disturbing than the rag-tag group of weaponized survivors was the fact that Charlotte was riding Shad. Her hair was tied back behind her head, and she was holding a flaming torch in one hand. It cast a half-light on her snarl, fiercer than the one I saw during the race. This wasn't the bubbly, giggly, chatty Charlotte that took me into her group. This was warrior Charlotte, the unofficial general of an intimidating army. At least, that's what she seemed like to me.

"Cavalry, with me! Melee Squad, with Ricky! Shooters, with Nigel! I want this raid clean, fast, and with no casualties! We're up against a dozen and a half camped Hunters, half a mile west!" Charlotte boomed over her patchwork army. The din rose a little more in anticipation. I felt the excitement build in my chest, even though I wasn't part of the raid. There was just something about gearing up for battle, feeling the wild adrenaline rush block everything out that scared me shitless, but also made me feel alive.

I turned my attention to Charlotte as she roared, "Burn it to the ground!"

"Burn it!" her army echoed in unison.

"Take no prisoners!" Charlotte shouted, wheeling Shad around to start up the line again.

"No prisoners!" The militia chorused.

"Show no mercy!" Their general raised her torch high, and the din transformed into a singular, terrifying war cry. The thumping of two dozen feet and horse hooves shook the forest floor, and I felt sorry for the Hunters who would meet with their bullets and horses.

Despite their horrible intent, I felt a smirk tug at my lips.

"Impressive, isn't it?" A bodiless voice chuckled from outside the ring of firelight. It sounded familiar; only one person I knew had that drawl to his voice. My smirk switched to a frown as Quinn stepped into the light, his hair flickering and glowing like the flames. Oddly, it reminded me of Ellie's hair. I pushed the thought away.

"Disappointed I'm not dead?" I replied sourly.

Quinn pushed his hair back the same way as Ricky, only he has less hair to push. "I never wanted to kill you, I have no reason to. I try to shove people off their horses all the time. Just ask Ricky. I guess you're not as good of a rider as you said you were." He shrugged, sitting opposite me.

"That's not an excuse to make me fall off my horse at a gallop. If Ricky hadn't been there, I would be dead." I shot back.

Quinn shrugged casually. "Probably. You wouldn't be the first guy to fall off his horse in a race, though. There ain't no shame in it, it just means you have to do more races. Sorry I played a little rough."

I scoffed indignantly. "Charlotte put you up to this, didn't she? Apologizing to me?"

A smirk tugged at Quinn's thin lips. "After her scolding, I'd be scared not to. You saw her during that pep talk. Now imagine all that directed at one person, and instead of motivation, it's anger." It widened as I shuddered.

"So you guys do these…pep talks often?" I knew what it felt like to be in command of people, even if it was only for five minutes back in Salt Lake City. You felt good, powerful, invincible.

"Before every raid. We only raid the larger groups, though. There has to be at least a dozen of them, or we don't bat an eye. It's our way of keeping ourselves afloat, I guess. Fed, clothed, all that crap. I mean, how else are supposed to sustain a group this big? Hunting's not gonna cut it, not for stuff you can't find in the forest." Quinn explained. For once, he was acting like the intelligent, observant guy he probably usually was, not the cocky asshole who played dirty in horse racing.

I guess it made sense, but did they have to slaughter the whole camp just to get to the supplies? "Can't you trade or something? Do you have to kill them every time? It seems a little unnecessary…"

Quinn pursed his lips, picking at a hole in his jeans. Freckles spotted his face like Charlotte's, only he had a lot more. "Oh no, we trade with small groups all the time. It's just that the big ones aren't always so welcoming. Our scouts came back with their knees knockin' and they had nasty cuts and bruises all over, like somebody beat them. None of them will talk about it, and when people screw with our own, we return the favor."

I made a noise of agreement. "So you return the favor…" I echoed, "And what about the kids? You kill them, too? Mothers, pregnant women, babies? Are they burned to a crisp?"

The redhead snorted, looking at me like I just grew a second head. "You're fucked up, man! We don't kill fuckin' babies and kids! Where'd you get that idea?"

I gingerly sat up, rubbing my sore shoulder. "I've…I've seen worse. You never know what to expect from people." I answered, shivering a little as the mental picture of Ellie imprisoned with the Clicker popped into my head.

"Fair enough. No, we take the defenseless people in if they want. Anybody who doesn't fight, you know? That's why we have a bunch of little tykes running around. They're all orphans, or they came with their mothers or fathers. Are you an orphan?" Quinn queried, glancing up from his jeans to look at me.

I bit my lip, uneasy about telling him my personal info. He seemed to catch on because he said, "Hey, we're all friends here. Sure there's a pecking order, but none of us hate each other. I won't judge. If it makes you feel any better, me, Ricky, and Char are orphans. We all grew up in the Dallas QZ. Ricky's my big bro. Half-brother, but brother nonetheless."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise at that. "No wonder you two look nothing alike. Except for maybe being on the scrawnier side." Unexpectedly, Quinn smiled at the joke. "I'm an orphan, too." I said, a bit quieter.

"Join the club, I guess. You hungry?" The redhead queried, pulling out a baggie of jerky from his back pocket. I nodded vigorously, and he tossed me the packet after he had taken a couple of pieces. I remembered I hadn't eaten anything since Taylor died.

"How long was I out?" I asked, taking a bite of jerky. It tasted gamey, like venison or something. I hadn't had a good chunk of meat in a while, and it felt good to tear something apart with my teeth.

"Well, it's about three in the morning now, so I guess…eight or nine hours? Charlotte told me you were going to Jackson. Isn't that northeast from here? Why were you going west?" Quinn said through a mouthful of jerky.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I should tell him about Tommy's settlement. "Actually, the place I'm going is along the Snake. Don't know exactly where, but it's close to Jackson. I have a few friends there who'll take me in." I wondered if Tommy still remembered who I was. Or if Ellie had gotten a new boyfriend yet. I've been gone for…what? A day and a half now? Would she give up on me that easy? _Ellie doesn't give up. Don't think like that. _I scolded myself.

Quinn seemed to accept the story because he didn't push it. "She said you have a girlfriend there, but things were rocky. What's she like? Sexy blonde? Sassy brunette?"

"Uhh…" I wasn't exactly sure how to answer that question. Ellie had sass, but not the kind Quinn was talking about. "She actually has your colour of hair, except a little darker. And umm…she's feisty. Strong, like Charlotte. She can be sweet and shy too, though." I found a smile creeping up my face, and I let it.

Quinn was smiling now too, but it was more of a conspiratorial one. "God, you make her sound like a stick in the mud. She sounds as boring as you."

I scowled at him.

Chuckling, the redhead leaned forward, "C'mon, give me the horny details. I won't tell nobody. Just between us guys, alright?"

I hesitantly glanced around at the other campfires. I saw a few heads sticking out of sleeping bags and from underneath blankets, but everyone seemed to be fast asleep. If there weren't sentries, we must have been the only two up. "Are you sure we should be talking about this? What if any kids are awake?" I didn't really want to talk about my pathetic love life to some guy who threw me off my horse nine hours ago.

Quinn waved a hand. "It's three in the fucking morning! Plus, it's not like they're not gonna be exposed to this stuff when they're older. You know, if they get that far."

"You're a dick." I scoffed.

"You're not answering my question," he shot back, "so what's this feisty ginger like in bed? She a good kisser? Make you moan and beg?"

I was glad he couldn't see the heat inching up my cheeks, burning my skin. Whether it was because of the awkward questions or my embarrassing lack of experience, I couldn't tell. "Umm…I never…" I trailed off, shifting uneasily. I pretended to have a dizzy spell, even though my headache was almost gone.

Quinn's mouth dropped open, mid-chew. I laughed a bit at the sight, feeling some of the awkwardness ebb away. "Dude, how old are you?"

"Seventeen." I answered. "Why?"

"I fucked like three different girls when I was seventeen. I met Char when I was eighteen, and we've been travelling together for a year now." Quinn sat back, resting his arms on his kneecaps. "Man, I feel sorry for you. Sex is like, the best thing ever. Shouldda screwed with her when you had the chance, eh?"

I drew an abstract pattern in the dirt with my forefinger. "You…do it with Charlotte?"

"Any time we're in the mood, bro." The redhead grinned. "I should set you up with one of the girls here. Get you some practice before you see your girlfriend again. She won't be so disappointed then."

_Who the hell does this guy think he is? _I mentally growled. "Who said she was disappointed? Being chased by Hunters and Infected doesn't leave time for much else. And plus, I didn't have a girlfriend back where I grew up. Where am I supposed to get 'practice'?" I spat defensively.

Quinn raised his hands in mock surrender, "Hey, I didn't mean to offend you. I'm just sayin' you're missing out."

I yawned widely, feeling my exhausted muscles calling for rest. "I'll think about it. Thanks for the offer, I guess."

Quinn smiled again, but this time there was no trace of cockiness in it. "It's what guys do, right? See ya later, Aaron. And uhh…I really am sorry about the horse race. Sometimes I don't know my own strength, yeah?"

"Yeah," I replied, curling up on my blanket, "It's alright, I'm not severely injured or anything. 'Night, Quinn."

As I closed my eyes I heard his receding footsteps on the soft ground, accompanied by the songs of crickets and bullfrogs by the river.

* * *

When I woke up again, the flickering fire was nothing but a pile of cold ashes. Sunlight trickled through the overlapping branches of pine trees above my head, throwing spots of yellow on the mossy ground. My aches and pains felt better, but a sharp twinge in my shoulder made me wince.

I carefully sat up, taking in the morning bustle around me. People were walking around, eating out of skillets and sharing their breakfast with their friends. Kids were playing hide and seek behind the trees, and black dogs yapped at their heels.

It was the complete opposite to last night's raid, when all these people were charging to kill a group of Hunters. They were acting like nothing happened, although I was pretty sure they had slaughtered the whole lot of them. I glanced around for Charlotte and Quinn, and I spotted them sitting around another campfire with a few other teenagers, passing around a skillet of delicious-smelling meat. My empty stomach growled with yearning, and I stood up to walk over to them.

I was greeted like an old friend, although I only knew half the group: Charlotte, Quinn, and Ricky. I plopped myself between Charlotte and Ricky, who passed me the skillet of what I now recognized was rabbit meat. I picked out a warm piece, passing it to Quinn.

"You're the kid with the reining horse, aren't you? The chestnut gelding?" Asked a blond boy with a bandage around his left bicep.

I gave him a quizzical look. "What?"

Ricky nudged me with his elbow. "He's talking about Callus II." He whispered in my ear.

"Oh…Oh! Yeah, that's me. Uhh…what's reining?" I cocked my head.

"Reining was another type of horse sport people did back before the infection. What your horse did in the race was a sliding stop. I guess he still has it in him, eh?" Ricky supplied. I smirked a little, silently thanking my horse for saving my life.

I shrugged. "I guess so…How'd the raid go last night?"

Charlotte answered this time. "It was _awesome_, you should have been there! Hunters didn't know what fuckin' hit 'em! We got tons of good loot for trading and stuff. Ammo, guns, for some reason they had like two cases of beer. Good thing they didn't have any kids and women, 'cause we killed them all. Hey, are you leaving today?" She asked casually, like talking about murdering people was a perfectly normal breakfast topic.

I shifted on the pine needles, unsure. I'd be a lot safer with these people than out on my own in the forest, and plus I was starting to like them, as odd as their conversations were. Eventually, I shook my head. "Naw, I think I'll stay a while. At least until I get to where I'm going, anyway. So how do you guys plan where you go during a raid? Or do you just all charge in and go for the surprise attack?" Fireflies usually planned their raids and attacks for days before anyone actually fought. These guys seemed to have little strategy, if any.

Quinn smiled at me, as if he was glad I was taking an interest in raids. I wasn't, but I was curious. "We divvy ourselves up into three groups: Cavalry, Melee, and Shooters. Obviously, cavalry is anyone on horses. They usually charge in first, setting everything on fire, or just causing as much damage as possible before the Shooters surround the camp and gun people down. Then the Melee Squad finishes them off." He explained proudly. Charlotte gave him a high-five, I guess for remembering everything she taught him.

"Uh-huh. You guys make for pretty terrifying raiders. I wouldn't want to be on the other end of that shit." I chuckled uneasily, and the other kids smirked at me for the compliment.

"Oh, you're too kind!" Charlotte cooed, tearing off a piece of rabbit meat. I'd already finished mine while Quinn was talking.

Quinn gently nudged his girlfriend. "Hey, tell Aaron about our little plan."

Charlotte's grin instantly got even brighter, if that was possible. "Oh right! Let's walk and talk, yeah?" Her other friends frowned, bummed at being left out of the juicy gossip. I hesitantly stood up as Charlotte rocked excitedly on her heels.

As soon as we were out of earshot of Charlotte's friends, she turned to me and blurted, "So Quinn tells me you're a virgin. I'm sorry." She said it as if I had some awful, fatal condition.

"Why are you talking like I have some sort of horrible disease?" I asked skeptically.

"You're missing out on so much! I mean, don't you want to impress your girlfriend when you see her again? Don't you want to screw with her behind the bushes when nobody's looking?" Charlotte queried, and I felt heat on my cheeks again at the blatant mention of sex. Was there anything these two _weren't _comfortable talking about?

I bit my lip uncertainly, "I guess…but I mean, shouldn't I figure that out with her first? Like…what she expects and what she doesn't?"

"Dude, girls _love _a guy who knows what he's doing. We're just trying to help you out." Quinn said. Charlotte nodded vigorously in agreement, snaking her arm through her boyfriend's.

"How the hell are you going to help _me _out? I'm not your boyfriend, Charlotte." I reminded her.

She waved her free hand carelessly at me, "Oh, you're so uptight! Quinn can tell you how to touch a girl, and I can help you with kissing. By the time we get to Jackson today or tomorrow, or whatever, you'll be a French-kissing expert." She explained excitedly, practically bouncing as she walked. Wait, she _was _bouncing as she walked. "Oh, this is going to be _so _fun!"

"What's French-kissing?" I wondered aloud.

Charlotte good-naturedly rolled her eyes. "You have so much to learn…"


	16. Shots Fired

**A/N: For those of you who are wondering, Ellie and Aaron will not be having sex. I never planned to include that, so stop putting off-handed comments about it in reviews, please. **

**I can't believe this story already hit 60 reviews! You guys are so awesome! Thank you so much for leaving all the wonderful comments, and I hope you'll continue to do so!**

* * *

I followed Charlotte and Quinn to a secluded area by the river, away from the prying eyes of everyone else. The shrieks of laughter from the kids floated down with the babbling river, even though I couldn't see them through the thick trees. We sat facing each other on a couple of large boulders, the water lapping at our sneakers.

"Are you sure you're alright with this, Quinn? I mean…If I were you, I wouldn't want another guy kissing my girlfriend." I avoided eye contact, propping one foot up on my boulder.

Quinn waved a hand while Charlotte smiled politely. "Naw man, I ain't the jealous type. No worries!" The former said.

I turned to Charlotte, biting my lip. This was a _really _bad idea. I doubted she wanted to become a Runner. "Okay, but I don't think this is a good idea. It just…doesn't feel right, you know?" It would also be nothing short of a death sentence to tell them I was infected.

"Look, your girlfriend doesn't need to know, alright? You'll just wow her with the stuff we teach you here. No harm in it, right?" Charlotte reassured me, but I could tell she was getting a little annoyed. She probably wasn't used to having kisses refused.

_Wrong._ I thought. "Yeah, but…I just think it's a really bad idea. You don't want to kiss me, trust me." I caught Quinn furrowing his red eyebrows.

"What's up with you, Aaron? We're not trying to hurt you. I thought you wanted our help?" Quinn cocked his head.

I nodded vigorously, "I do! Can we just, I don't know, do it without kissing? It's not that I don't want to kiss Char, I'm just…I just want to experiment with my girlfriend, you know?" Well, it wasn't a complete lie, but it was a pretty good save.

Quinn and Charlotte exchanged smiles. "I like the way you think, bro. Exploring uncharted territory, that's a good idea. So…don't you at least have any questions?" Quinn raised a fiery eyebrow.

The first question that popped into my head was pretty obvious. "How do you avoid getting pregnant?" I asked Charlotte.

She giggled like she was going to tell me the secret ingredient to a recipe. "Every time we go to a larger town, we're always on the lookout for condoms. They're one of those things that people don't really think about taking, you know? And if there aren't any, we just time it really carefully so I don't get pregnant. It's worked so far, so we're doing something right."

I nodded slowly. I had absolutely no idea how a girl's reproductive system worked, but Quinn obviously did. "What are some good places to touch a girl?" I queried. It was getting slightly less awkward for me, but only just.

"Ooh, I got this one!" Charlotte chirped as Quinn opened his mouth. "Back, neck, and thighs are great places, especially if you use a light touch. If you really want to turn her on, kiss her collarbone and neck, too. She'll love you for it!"

I smirked a little at her enthusiasm, but it disappeared when I heard urgent shouts from the camp. We all snapped our heads toward the sounds as the kids' laughter turned to terrified screams. Before I knew it, tree branches were whipping past our faces, scoring scratches into our skin and clothes.

The leisurely morning bustle had turned into chaos, and I ducked as bullets whizzed past my head. The campfires were in haphazard ruins, dangerously close to lighting the pine needles. Filthy, brutish invaders fired and hacked at Charlotte and Quinn's friends, their war-painted faces twisted into vicious snarls.

"I guess we didn't get all of those bastards last night!" Charlotte shouted at me over the din of gunfire and screams, "Get your knife, rifle, anything and kill these fuckers!" She pushed me out of the way to get to a hunting rifle laying on the ground, which brought me back to reality. We were being attacked.

I vigorously shook my head to get over the shock of the sudden battle, digging my switchblade out of my pocket. I wasn't a fan of killing, but my new friends were in trouble. My disgust could wait.

I glanced around for anyone that needed help, and I spotted Ricky being thrown to the side by a man with a rifle. He aimed for my friend, but I sprinted up behind him, knocking him over and stabbing his neck until he stopped moving. Ricky threw me a grateful smile, nodding as he ran off to help a girl fend off another bandit.

Someone bashed me with something hard from behind, and I saw stars for a second as I fell onto all-fours. Before whoever was behind me could do it again, I blindly whipped by knife back, feeling it sink into something soft. I turned as they let out an agonized yell, kicking the man down and bashing his skull in with a couple good stomps.

I continued like that until I grabbed a revolver off some dead guy's body, which made things a lot easier. I shot as many invaders as I could with what bullets I could find, feeling a sick sense of satisfaction as I watched them fall. I could forget myself for a few minutes, forget my grief for Taylor, and forget my worries about Ellie. I felt a wicked smile stretch my lips. Before I knew it, there weren't any bandits left.

"Man, those motherfuckers are _annoying_! They ruined a perfectly good morning!" I heard Charlotte complain from somewhere off to my left. I pocketed the revolver, stepping over pools of blood to reach her. I heard Quinn laughing, and I spotted him not far off, holding a struggling invader with horizontal red streaks across his face. Ricky was jeering at their captive, and I joined them as Charlotte disappeared to check on a small group huddled behind the bushes. I assumed they were the kids.

"You dumb bastards! Let me go!" The captive commanded gruffly, but it was futile. Ricky and Quinn weren't going to let the man go. I had the urge to plug my nose as I fell into step beside them. This guy smelled _awful_, but not as strong as the stench of blood that burned my nose. I tried not to look at the bloody faces that stared up at me as I passed, all with different war-paint designs, all men. With my battle high wearing off, I felt sick. My stomach churned.

"No can do, not until Nigel decides what to do with you." Ricky snapped, kicking the man behind the knees so he stumbled. I'll admit, even I got a laugh out of the string of curses that he spat after that.

Eventually, we made it to a burly man with graying, greasy black hair and a stony, sun-tanned face. He was sitting on a stump, busy wrapping a bandage around an older woman's bleeding arm. He looked up as we approached, his eyes as black as his hair. He looked just as annoyed as Charlotte, like morning bandit attacks were nothing more than an inconvenience now.

"Found this one in the bushes, Nigel! What do you want to do with him?" Quinn asked, kicking the bandit down so he was on his knees, eye-level with Nigel.

"Here's an idea: let me go and I won't bother you no more! You killed all my friends, anyway! What good am I to you?" The captive hissed.

Ricky punched him across the face, and I smirked a little. Power felt good. "Shut up!" The brunet yelled.

Nigel finished his first aid on the woman, sending her on her way. He eyed the bandit warily, like a cougar might inspect its prey. "Did we kill _all _of your group? Or are there more of you scattered through these woods?" His voice was steady and raspy like Joel's, only slightly deeper.

The shabby-looking man narrowed his eyes at Nigel. His ripped and bloodied green hoodie was falling off one shoulder. "I just said that! There ain't no more of us! Now let me go!" He snapped.

"Ricky, Quinn, release the bastard. As he said, he's no good to us." Nigel demanded, and I caught a sinister gleam in Quinn's eyes. He and his half-brother let the man go as ordered, and no sooner did he take three steps did he fall flat on his face, blood spilling from a hole in the back of his skull. Unsurprised, I looked back at Quinn to see his pistol smoking. He smirked, shoving it in his back pocket.

I just stared at the dead man, unable to tear my eyes away. He was alive just seconds ago. His blank, blue eyes were just like Taylor's, gazing off after his departed soul. Before the shock, panic, and disgust could overwhelm me, I felt someone shaking my shoulder. It was Ricky, his eyebrows scrunched together.

"Nigel's talking to you, didn't you hear him?" he asked, making no mention of the dead man at his feet, not even looking at the blood as he walked away. I began to wonder if _anyone _in this group was capable of feeling remorse for the dead, or even the slightest shred of guilt for killing another human being.

I nodded dumbly, glad to have a diversion. Quinn gave me a look resembling pity before leaving me alone with Nigel. "Yes, sir?" I mumbled, hunching my shoulders a little as he stood to his full height. He was a good two heads taller than me, probably more. He had the bulky frame to match.

"Don't call me that, son. I'm just Nigel. What brings you to my little band of survivors…Aaron, was it?" Nigel asked, beginning to weave his way through the corpses and blood-soaked pine needles. I wondered briefly why nobody was cleaning the bodies up.

"Yeah…Umm…I lost my partner, and before that my girlfriend and her guardian sort of…abandoned me, so I'm trying to get back to them, and I met Charlotte by a stream on my way so I figured I'd hang out with you guys until I get to where I'm going." I explained, not looking Nigel in the eye once. I couldn't keep my gaze on the ground because I would throw up, and I couldn't look at Nigel because he scared me, so I stared straight ahead.

Nigel raised a black eyebrow, the first sign of emotion he had shown yet. "Why are you trying to get back to people who abandoned you? If you don't mind me asking, why did they leave you?"

I bit my lip, doubt creeping into my mind. If Ellie and Joel left me for dead…why _should _I find them again? I shook the thought out of my head. "Well, I got sick, like _really _sick. High fever, chills, I couldn't even lift my head. But the problem was, we were being chased by my partner, who was kinda loopy at the time, so they couldn't stay with me. We were outnumbered too, so they just packed up and left me to fend for myself. My partner sobered up though, but then he had to go and get shot…" I hadn't realized how bitter I felt about the whole thing until now.

I had repressed my feelings about it through reason, and it worked for a while, but now it was coming back to bite me in the ass. Ellie and Joel had abandoned me. There was no other way of looking at it, no matter the reason for it.

Would I have done the same thing if I were Ellie, or Joel?

_I would have stayed and fought tooth and nail if it were Ellie on that bed instead of me. Even if I got shot in the head, at least I wouldn't have left her to die. Joel wouldn't have, either. So why was it so hard to defend me? _

"Sounds like you had a rough couple of days. It ain't easy moving on after something like that, so I commend you for your strength. You must be pretty angry about it, though." Nigel said.

I furrowed my brow. "Angry? How do you know I'm angry about it?" It slowly crept up on me, but it was more bitterness than anger right now.

The corner of Nigel's mouth twitched downwards. "I've been keeping an eye on you, kid. You never smile 'cept for just now when you were driving that blade into people's necks, and you always carry yourself like you're ready to lunge at somebody's throat. You're always tense and brooding." he explained, and I was surprised he was this observant, "Everybody has different ways of dealing with their anger and guilt, son. For Char and Quinn, for example, it's turning it into positivity. For you, it seems to be killing people. Now, both are useful, just make sure you kill the right people. You follow me, kid?"

I nodded slowly, "So you're saying I should turn my anger into motivation to kill bandits? That sounds a little…unhealthy."

Nigel laughed, harsh-sounding but full of amusement, "There ain't no therapists in this damned world, Aaron! You gotta do what works for you! It may seem a little sick, but if it works it works. Don't you feel any better?"

I thought back to the satisfaction and the way I forgot my problems when I was fighting. The power I felt over somebody else. It made me feel stronger to know _I_ could choose when somebody died, not another Hunter, or Clicker, or even God. "Yeah, you're right. I feel pretty good." I smiled.

"You're not too shabby with a switchblade, either. We could use a kid like you on Cavalry or Melee Squad. Are you a good shot?" Nigel queried, pausing to kick the legs of a corpse out of his way. I noticed his eyes weren't on me as he spoke, instead he was surveying his charges, probably taking a headcount.

I shrugged modestly, relieved that some of the feeling was coming back into my numb arms and legs. "I guess, but I like to get more up close and personal, you know? I'm pretty light, so I'd be good for sneak attacks."

Nigel nodded, "Good to hear. I hope you'll be part of the next raid, you need to put those horses of yours to use. The black one would definitely be handy for night attacks."

I didn't like the idea of my horses being used in a charge, but I went along with it, anyway. I would deal with that later. "Sure. Are we moving out soon? All this carnage is making me sick." I said truthfully, getting a tiny, short bark out of Nigel.

"You'll get used to it, kid. I'm surprised you haven't already. Charlotte told me you're from Boston. If you grew up in that shithole, all this shouldn't really be a problem for you. 'Specially if you were part of the military." Nigel drawled jokingly, clapping me on the shoulder. I stumbled, but caught myself.

I cocked my head. "You've been there?"

"A number of years ago, yeah. If things haven't changed, I'm glad I left. Best decision I probably ever made! Fireflies were slaughtered in the street trying to get a leg up on the soldiers, the military was…well, the military, and for everybody else it was just plain misery and suffering. Sure, the whole world's hell, but at least you have a better chance of surviving outside a QZ than you do in it." Nigel said, oblivious to my scowl.

My upper lip twitched as I felt a sharp sting. "My mother was a Firefly." I growled.

Nigel stopped chuckling, finally realizing I wasn't laughing along with him. "Oh…I'm sorry. Forgive me, I didn't know."

"It's okay, not many people liked her, anyway." I mumbled.

Nigel was silent for a moment, but then he spoke up again, "We leave as soon as we're all patched up here. You okay with letting a few of the tykes ride your horses? They can't walk as long as we can."

I nodded, and feeling that the conversation was over, I peeled away to go find Charlotte and Quinn.

* * *

"Dude, look at that house! It's fucking huge!" Quinn exclaimed in awe, breaking the rhythmic songs of birds and cicadas in the forest. We had only been walking for a couple of hours, and the trees had thinned out a little. We kept to the edge of the pines, but we could plainly see what had captured Quinn's attention.

It was a large, brick building with a peeling red roof, and behind it was some kind of pond. But instead of having a beach, it had gravel and some fallen trees. I reluctantly stepped out of the coolness of the trees to get a better look. Some parts of the roof had collapsed, but it still seemed habitable.

"Hey Nigel, can we explore that building over there?" Charlotte called to the burly man up front.

I saw his black head turn as he replied over his shoulder, "Who's 'we'?"

Charlotte quickly conferred with her friends and me before she called back, "Charlotte, Quinn, Aaron, Ricky, and Fiona!"

Nigel fell silent, and I saw him peering at the red-roofed building to our right. Eventually he answered, "Fine, but don't take too long! We're going to keep moving so be quick!"

Charlotte and Quinn high-fived each other while the others whooped and sprinted to the mysterious brick building. I followed, feeling both giddiness and nervousness as I pulled out my newly acquired revolver, just to be safe.

We skidded to a stop near the front doors, guns at the ready. I spotted something odd moving in the shade on the far side, but it had a long, black tail, so I immediately ruled out Clicker and Hunter. I crept along, signalling for Ricky to follow.

I made out the shape of two horses in the cool half-light, one brown with a black mane and tail, and the other a splotchy horse like Sparky, except with copper fur where his was black. They had bedrolls tied to their saddles, empty rifle sheaths, and full saddle bags. It looked like they were geared up for a long trip.

"People are here, we have to warn the others!" I urgently hissed to Ricky, who was rifling through the brown and black horse's saddle bags. He pulled out some baggies of jerky and granola bars, tossing them to me. I hastily stuffed them into my pack.

"You warn the guys, I'll keep looting these babies. Worst comes to worst, I hop on one and go back to Nigel." Ricky offered, moving on to the next saddle bag.

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to leave him alone. We both jumped as gunshots echoed within the building, and I could see the flash of someone's rifle through a broken window. "Guess they already found them." I said, sprinting into the building from the opposite end. With any luck, we could shoot them from behind before anyone we cared about got killed.

Ricky and I ran lithely through the narrow hallways, coming ever closer to the enemies. I spotted a guy huddled behind an overturned dresser, oblivious to our approach. I shot him in the head before he even turned around.

"There're more of them coming from the other side!" I heard a baritone voice shout. Cursing, I took cover behind a desk marked "reception". There were many open doors leading to God knows how many rooms and offices in this place, so I had no idea where these bastards were hiding.

Now that they knew we had them surrounded, I spotted heads looking both ways before shooting. Ricky got another guy peeking out from a doorway, and we quietly high-fived each other. I figured that if they had two horses, there couldn't be more than four of them, so I hoped the rest of our group were having fun picking off the remaining two bandits.

Suddenly I heard glass shatter, along with shouts of "Get out of here, it's no good!" and "Too many! Back to the horses!" I made to move out of my hiding spot and go after them, but Ricky held me back, silently shaking his head.

When all was quiet, I saw Charlotte and Fiona, a blonde girl, poke their heads out from doorways. Quinn loped victoriously down the main hallway, clapping me and Ricky on our shoulders as we continued searching the place. We chattered excitedly as we searched office desks, cabinets, and the cafeteria. I laughed and mocked our victims along with them, feeling like I actually belonged with these people for once. I didn't think about the men we just killed, and I threw a faded photo of a pretty Chinese woman out the window as I looted one of them. I didn't care if she was his wife, sister, or whatever, I just wanted his ammo and first-aid supplies.

Ricky tossed his stolen baggie of jerky to Charlotte, who shared it with everyone. I chewed on a granola bar as we walked back to the group in the forest, all triumphant smiles and exaggerated re-enactments for the kids who crowded around us, eagerly demanding to know what happened. I felt light, like something heavy was lifted off my chest for the first time. It took me a second to realize I was happy. It felt unfamiliar, but not so much that I couldn't recognize it. It was the same thing I had felt horse-racing and kissing Ellie.

After the excitement had died down, we continued making our way through the forest, following the Snake until the ground got too uneven and rocky for the horses. We crossed to the other side, leading the horses along through the water. I stepped into the frigid, thigh-deep river, feeling my way with my feet so I wouldn't slip. I felt something snag my sleeve, and I glanced back to see a little brown-haired girl of about seven or eight clenching it in her hand. I vaguely remembered hearing Nancy call her Alice as she ushered the girl away from our little fan club.

"Aaron, can carry me across the river? I can't swim." Alice requested in a soft soprano.

I smiled, swinging her up onto my shoulders in reply. She giggled happily, calling out to her friends splashing through the water on Sparky and Ebony. I found myself laughing along with her, wading through the water.

When everyone was safely across, we shook ourselves off and continued walking. I furtively cast glances to my right, searching for any sign of a dam. Unfortunately, we had to cut so far into the forest to find traversable ground, I couldn't see the river at all and its rush was just a faint hum. I saw nothing but trees and rocks in front, behind, and beside me, and still no dam. I sighed, wondering how far up river Tommy's place actually was, since the land was sloping upward already. Dams were built in higher places on rivers, weren't they?

"We'll find your friends, don't worry!" Charlotte reassured me cheerily, as if she could read my mind.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but we heard Nigel shout, "Hold up!" from far in the front. We slowed to a halt, wondering why we had stopped. I noticed pavement peeking out from between the trees; we had reached a road. The water was slightly louder in my ears to my right, violent and ruthless unlike the gentle flow from downstream. Charlotte furrowed her brow at the same time as I did, wondering what was going on.

I covertly slipped past people to make my way to the front, hearing the conversation get louder as I did. Nigel was talking with a couple of men on horses who wore bullet-proof vests and hunting jackets. They weren't the ones I saw at the building we looted, and I breathed a tiny sigh of relief.

"Where're you going, friend?" One of the horsemen curtly asked.

Nigel leaned back on his heels, relaxed but tense at the same time. He eyed them warily, analyzing their weaponry before replying politely, "We're just passing through, going to Canada. That a problem?"

"Canada, huh? Well, we'd like to let you know you're trespassing. Drifting too close to North Teton Dam." The second horseman said.

My ears perked up. The dam _had _to be close. But where? I didn't see it. The man's gaze lingered on me for a second, too long to be a mere passing glance. He elbowed his partner, pointing to me. "You, with the wolf shirt. C'mere."

I froze for a second, but I stumbled forward when somebody pushed me from behind. I came out of the safety of the trees, hopeful but terrified at the same time. Did Ellie tell them what I looked like? Did they know where she was? My heart hammered in my chest as they conversed quietly with each other. I stood stock-still, catching the confused glances of my fellow group members in my peripheral vision.

I caught bits of their conversation, "Cornrows…dark skin…a few other kids, too, I can see them…" I started shaking. They weren't taking me to Ellie. The scouts had ratted us out, wherever they came from. They had gotten there before us.

One of them turned to me again. "You seen two men dressed like us on a bay horse like this and that Paint you have over there?" He pointed to his brown and black horse, and to Sparky a few feet away from me. I paled, my eyes widening. I said nothing, did nothing.

"What happened to the other two men on those horses? They were sent on a scouting trip and only two came back today. They said a boy like you, a brown-haired girl, a red-haired boy, and a couple others attacked them some three hours ago. All teenagers, about your age. Did you shoot them?" The man queried, suspicion thickly laced through his voice. His drawl indicated he already knew the answer.

"I think we found our culprits, John. Where are the rest of your friends, boy?" the second camo-clad man deduced. I felt more panic welling up in my chest the longer I stayed silent. I saw one of the horsemen reach behind him, and my fingers grazed my own revolver.

Nigel put a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. "Now look here, this boy didn't do anything to your guys! Leave us be and let us pass!" he demanded.

One of the men, John, I assumed, smirked. "I'm afraid we can't do that, not until this boy and his cohorts come with us. We have some questions for them."

"Here's a question for you: How'd you like to end up like your friends we shot?" I spat back, drawing my revolver from my pocket. I cocked it and fired two shots before either one of the men could pull out their own weapons. I got one in the chest and he fell off his horse, dead before he hit the ground. I got the other in the shoulder, but he rode off before I could finish him.

Nigel put his hands up, calming our spooked group. We started walking again and he turned to me, "Nice shootin', Aaron. I appreciate your initiative to get rid of those fuckers, but now they'll come back with hellfire."

The weight on my chest returned, and I shoved my gun in my pocket.


	17. Three Days

"So…what do we do now?" I asked Nigel as we delved deeper into the forest. I caught a glimpse of the dam as we crossed the road; it was built like a fortress, a giant black wall with barbed wire surrounded it. It was hard to imagine Ellie inside such a compound. It looked too much like the Boston QZ walls, but those would have dwarfed this dam's wall.

Nigel furrowed his brow, thinking. He didn't look angry or annoyed at me for starting a fight, which I was grateful for. He was much more patient and understanding than Taylor. "For now we wait. They might try to ask for compensation, or they could try to wipe us out. Either way, we'll be long gone. Was this the place you were talking about?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but…if you see a girl with red hair that looks a little younger than me, try not to shoot her. I'd appreciate it."

"Good to know, I'll pass the message along. Are you sure you don't want to ask if she's there?" Nigel queried.

I almost laughed. Almost. "Yeah, and get my head blown off? No thanks, I'll wait until things die down. I can handle another day without her, it's no big deal." Something whimpered inside me, sending an ache of longing through my body. I grit my teeth and willed it to shut up. I could wait.

"Well, we'll see what happens. She might just be part of the party that could come and get slaughtered by our Cavalry. Of course we'll keep an eye out for her, so don't worry about that." Nigel chuckled lightheartedly, and I wiped the horrified expression off my face. If I saw so much as a _scratch _on Ellie…someone was going to pay dearly.

I could feel the tension in the air melt away as pavement and civilization were replaced with nature again. The mid-afternoon sunlight dappled the mossy ground, casting halos of light on the lower branches. In a few hours we would be far away from the dam, but what happened between then and now, I couldn't predict. Tommy was a smart, compassionate man, but I had also seen his brutal side. I shivered a little, despite the humidity of the heavy air.

I remembered the vicious rows he would have with Mom back in Boston, just before he left. She (and I) wanted him to stay, but he had come to his senses about her cause. Tommy had stopped being one of her 'disciples' and had just wanted out. It was the same with some other men, judging from the hushed whispers I would hear every time I passed them in the cramped hallways of our headquarters.

So one day, I woke up and Tommy was gone. Mom never let on how much she was hurting afterwards, but I could tell from the empty look she sometimes got in her eyes. It was like losing Dad all over again, except we all knew she felt more for Tommy than she ever did for Dad.

I whiled away the time chatting with Quinn and Char, carrying Alice or one of the other kids on my shoulders when they whined their feet were tired. Char also did a good bit of complaining, too. We talked about possible scenarios of the attack we knew would come from Tommy, and the matching battle plans. If any of us got captured, Nigel would sure as hell wage war on the fuckers. He would lay waste to the dam until he had us back, and this morning's slaughter of the bandits proved that.

I was glad at least someone had my back. I knew I couldn't count on Joel or Ellie because they showed me they didn't. If that was the way things were, I didn't see a reason I should have theirs, either. When the sun was low, my feet were sore, and everybody else started grumbling about food and rest, we set up camp and pulled out the canned food. As usual, I hung around with Charlotte and her friends, sharing stories about our previous lives in the Quarantine Zones while eating a can of peaches.

I noticed Charlotte was only picking at her canned vegetables with her fork, but Quinn commented before I could. We hadn't eaten since lunch, so it was odd to see somebody avoiding food.

"Eat your dinner, Char. You haven't had a bite of anything since noon." Quinn said between sips of canned beef stew.

"I'm not hungry." The brunette mumbled, setting down her can.

"Don't be silly, of course you are. You sick or something?" Quinn cocked his head, annoyance laced into his voice. I discerned it wasn't the first time they had had this conversation.

Charlotte threw him a glare, harsh enough to make me shrink back. I realized this was the first time I had actually seen them fight first-hand. "No," she snapped viciously, "I feel fine. I'm just PMS-ing, so leave me alone."

They glared at each other for a long moment until Quinn made a non-committal noise, turning back to his stew. He continued talking as if nothing had happened.

I found out Quinn used to be a soldier. I guess that sort of made sense, seeing as he had the most knowledge of battle plans next to Ricky. Charlotte used to live with a bunch of kids Alice's age, working for this sweet old lady running an orphanage. The place was always packed, according to her. The kids either ran away or got into fights, and to me it sounded miserable working in that orphanage. But Char always spoke like she missed the place, which I found strange.

Then I was left alone with Ricky and a few others while Char and Quinn snuck off somewhere. Nobody paid them any mind, so I assumed this was a regular occurrence for them to just up and leave in the middle of a conversation. Eventually, we all got tired and there was still no attack from Tommy, so we just curled up on our blankets, waiting for our turn on sentry duty.

After what I felt was mere minutes, somebody was shaking my shoulder. I woke with a groan, rubbing my eyes. The forest was so black around me, even the low fire didn't keep the darkness at bay. However, I made out Quinn's red hair in the glow from the embers.

"Get up, Aaron. It's your, mine, and Char's turn for sentry duty." he whispered, shoving a rifle into my arms as I sat up. I muttered some obscenities at him for waking me up in the middle of the night, to which he just smiled and tossed me a bottle of water. It hit my shoulder before I could catch it, making me swear louder.

Quinn chuckled, and I followed him into the gloom of the forest. It had cooled off significantly during the night, and I felt the goosebumps prickle all the way up my bare arms. The cold woke me up a little more. I noticed a figure emerge from the darkness after a few minutes, and realized it was Charlotte wearing a sleepy smile.

"Morning…God, what time is it?" She yawned, readjusting her bowstring and quiver.

I shrugged, turning to Quinn who answered, "It's around two in the morning. We're here until four, and then we wake up Ricky, Fiona, and Nigel."

Charlotte and I groaned in unison, but Quinn gave us both a stern look so we stopped complaining.

I had been on patrol duty before, but at least Mom let me have a full night's sleep. I would be crabby when we moved out again, I could feel it. I wasn't used to having my sleep cycle interrupted. At least I got to spend sentry duty with people I liked, though. Back in Salt Lake, it was always with adults I barely knew.

"So what do you guys usually do on sentry duty?" I pondered aloud.

Charlotte shrugged. "I think you can guess what Quinn and I do when we're paired up for it, but Nigel doesn't like us being 'distracted' when we're supposed to keep the camp safe, so I guess that's why he put you with us. Otherwise, we could hunt for rabbits and squirrels, or just shut up and watch for Clickers." she explained, taking a few arrows out as a precaution.

"I like the hunting squirrels part. The rest not so much." I mumbled, leaning against a tree to doze for a few seconds. My eyelids were heavy with sleep, and my mind was clouded over with it. My body yearned for it, but I knew there were probably strict punishments for falling asleep on sentry duty, so I never allowed myself more than a few seconds and I made sure Quinn wasn't watching.

We all fell quiet after that, too tired to chat. We made loose circles around the perimeter of the camp, always within sight of each other, but not so close that we couldn't cover most of the camp if need be. When my eyes adjusted to the dark and my body understood it wasn't going to get anymore sleep for a while, I could make out trunks of nearby trees and branches, and even the odd shadowy rabbit or squirrel darting through the undedrgrowth. Charlotte and Quinn were almost formless, black figures in the dark, the only things making noise besides the crickets and other nighttime fauna.

Over the course of the patrol, even their voices softened into silence. I was left eavesdropping on the crickets and owls, not that I could make out anything Quinn and Char were saying. I had circled the camp for the umpteenth time when I heard a twig snap somewhere beyond the weak ring of firelight coming from the camp. I pricked my ears, my curiosity telling me to check it out and my instincts hissing at me to keep away. I heard a flutter of wings, followed by an owl's hoot.

Relaxing, I muttered, "Fucking owls…" continuing on my patrol route. I swore I was wearing a groove into the forest floor by now. I glanced around for Quinn and Char, but they had melted into the darkness. _Probably hunting squirrels…or 'distracting' themselves. _I snickered to myself at the thought, rubbing my sore shoulders. The rifle wasn't helping to ease my discomfort.

My mind began to wander to what was going on at the dam a few hour's walk away. When was Tommy going to attack? Was he going to attack at all? How was Ellie doing? I bet she missed me…I wasn't too sure if I missed her as much as I did a couple of days ago. I would see her again once this whole tiff with Tommy was over, if it ever came.

Suddenly, I felt arms clamp around my neck, cutting off my air supply. I chocked and struggled, fingers blindly scrambling for my rifle. I guess my captor figured out what I was trying to do because the next thing I knew, I felt a blow to my head and everything went black.

* * *

I was aware of a cold, damp hardness beneath me, and equally cold air above me. Although I was half-awake, I used a trick I learned back in Boston to get information about my new surroundings. I kept my eyes closed, my breathing even, and my ears open for any clues.

I heard boots scratching on concrete and the breathing of other people, so I knew I wasn't alone. Whoever they were, they weren't keen on talking. Or maybe they couldn't talk, I didn't know. I felt no rope or handcuffs around my wrists, or anything out of the ordinary except the absence of my rifle's weight on my body. Best of all, I felt no pain save the throbbing on the side of my head.

I listened for a few more minutes, and hearing nothing else of interest, I decided it was safe to open my eyes. The walls around me were concrete, and a dusty shaft of light pierced the gloom from a high, rectangular window. Unfortunately, I quickly judged it was too high and small to climb out of.

To my surprise, Charlotte and Quinn were huddled up together in a corner, the former dozing against her boyfriend's shoulder. Quinn had one arm around her, rubbing tiny circles on her upper arm while loosely holding her hand. The only acknowledgement he gave me was an upward, fleeting quirk of his lips.

"Where are we? What happened?" I queried hoarsely, sitting up. My stomach was already well acquainted with the feeling of emptiness, and I wondered how long I had been out. My throat felt like sandpaper, my lips dry from lack of water.

Quinn put a long finger to his lips, motioning his head to Charlotte. He gave a tiny shrug as a reply. I guessed nobody had been by our little prison to explain things yet. Charlotte furrowed her brow at the small disturbance, but stayed asleep.

Letting out a long, impatient breath, I huddled myself in a corner facing the door. I didn't bother trying the lock; I knew it wouldn't budge if Quinn and Char were still here. All I could do was ignore my clawing stomach and wait.

I didn't have to wait long. First the door screeched open, then dim light irritated my eyes, and finally I became aware of the roar of a river somewhere beyond the silhouette of a man in the doorway. He had light feet, judging by his careful footsteps. As the door clicked shut behind him, I recognized his face immediately. By the way surprise etched itself into his stress-lined face, I knew he recognized me too.

"Tommy." I greeted without mirth. He was just the way I remembered him back in Boston; faded denim jacket, tattered pants, brown plaid shirt, and long sandy-brown hair that made him look younger than he actually claimed to be. At least he bothered to trim his beard for the occasion.

"You know this guy?" Quinn cocked an eyebrow. Charlotte muttered something incoherent, forcing herself awake.

I nodded. "This guy used to be my mom's…partner," I faltered, about to say _boyfriend_, but changing my mind, "and he used to be a Firefly. Ain't that right, Tommy?"

Tommy gave me one of his usual glares, a look I was used to getting when he wanted me to shut up. He ran a hand through his hair, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but in this tiny prison cell. "Right, but that's all behind us now. What were you doing shooting three of my men yesterday?" At least he didn't beat around the bush.

I propped myself up straighter against the wall. "If it helps our case any, they shot first. It was purely out of self-defence." I answered dryly.

"Don't get smart with me, Aaron. Now I know I can't bring those men back to their families, but the rest of my guys want justice. They know we have you captive here." Tommy said, his Southern drawl more pronounced. You could always hear it better when he was angry.

Quinn piped up from the corner. "Where exactly is 'here'? What are you going to do to us?"

Tommy eyed him up and down, like he noticed for the first time that the redhead was there. "You're at North Teton Dam, my friend. As for what I'm going to do, I need a public opinion from the town. I wouldn't kill you even if you were adults, but that doesn't mean-"

Quinn interrupted him, "For the record, I'm nineteen, my girlfriend is eighteen, and Aaron's…what? Sixteen?"

"Seventeen." I corrected him.

"There you go. Aaron's the only kid here." He smirked at my glare.

Tommy set his jaw, leaning against the doorway. "Are you done, kid?"

"I've got more, but please, do go on." Quinn drawled, giving Tommy a mock interested look.

_Keep your mouth shut, or you'll get us all killed. _I mentally growled.

"As I was saying, I don't like to kill prisoners. But if that's what the town decides, there's nothing I can do about it. I'd rather have you flogged than drowned, but it's not my decision to make." Tommy explained.

I let out a short bark of laughter. "Why don't you just put a bullet in our skulls already and get on with your day? I'm sure your guys would be more than happy with that 'justice'."

Tommy switched his icy glare to me, and I leered back. He wasn't going to intimidate me, not this time. "I'm sure they would, but things here don't work that way. If my guys decide to take pity on you and let you live, that'll be the least of your problems. I'm not a fan of killing, but I have no qualms about breaking you down until there's nothing left." he warned, and I bit back a few insults.

Quinn pointed to Charlotte, who so far hadn't even said one word. That was odd, since she usually talked more than Quinn and Ricky put together. "I don't think that's such a good idea for my girlfriend, Tommy. She's sick. I'd like to keep her alive if you don't mind." His voice had a touch of concern to it, but he still had that sarcastic lilt.

Tommy cocked his head, giving Charlotte a good once-over. He didn't move from his post, but he nodded his head in agreement. I glanced at Charlotte, noticing the light sheen of sweat on her forehead, her limp body. She could barely hold her head up.

"I can see that. What's wrong with her?" Tommy asked after a short pause.

"She said she's really tired all the time, can barely even get up. Got bad cramps, too. Doesn't want to eat much." Quinn explained, losing his defensive drawl in favor of full concern.

The sandy-haired man furrowed his brow, "Well, I've got an idea, but my wife Maria might be a better person to consult. You stay put, and I'll go get her." he said, banging the door shut. The metallic clang resounded through the tiny room, too loud in my ears.

"Not like we're going anywhere…" I muttered to myself.

After a few minutes, Tommy came back with a blonde woman I assumed was Maria. She had the same stress lining her face as her husband, but she looked twice as fierce. She knelt beside Charlotte, glancing at Quinn as if to ask his permission. He complied once he was assured she wouldn't hurt Charlotte, but his eyes never left Maria. I could see the tension in his arms and shoulders, ready to lunge at the first sign of danger.

"When did your symptoms start?" Maria asked in a somewhat motherly tone. From what I could tell, she had a little experience with younger people, but obviously not much. I doubted she ever had any children judging from her slim, strong figure.

Charlotte scrunched her brow, "Just last night, really. I mean, I felt kinda tired all week, but it just really hit me recently. I'm not hungry and I feel like I want to throw up all the time."

Maria and Tommy shared a glance, a silent conversation. The latter imperceptibly nodded. "Well, I've seen this type of thing before, back in town. I'm gonna go out on a limb here, alright? Do you think you're pregnant?" Maria queried gently.

Quinn bristled, as if Maria had insulted him personally. I had no idea why _he _was the one getting angry. "No way, we're being safe! Char can't be pregnant!"

"Easy, son. We've had a few women get pregnant here, so I know the symptoms. Let me bring you two to town and we'll run a few tests, alright? We've got good doctors there, they'll take care of her." Maria explained, and Quinn relaxed the slightest degree, glancing from Char to Maria a couple of times. Eventually he sighed, giving in.

"Fine," he quipped, "but I ain't leaving her side."

Tommy pointed to me. "Aaron, you're coming with me. Get up, let's go." he ordered, and I stood up wordlessly, brushing the dirt from my jeans. I followed Tommy into another concrete hallway, and then out into the sunlight. I hissed, shielding my eyes from the bright light.

The actual dam was pretty small. A few buildings flanked a metal bridge, slick and shining from the Snake roiling beneath it. I spotted a few dogs napping in the shade, and the population was mostly men.

"You will be responsible for guarding the fence. I'll come back for you, soon as we get everything with the girl figured out. Earl will be watching you, and I'll give him permission to shoot if you try anything funny." Tommy explained, leading me up the steps to the concrete wall. "You're not to leave your post, let anybody in or out without clearance from Earl."

Tommy handed me a rifle, and a man with greying hair came to stand at the opposite side of the gate. Tommy filled him in and left us, muttering something about checking on the dam's engineers.

Earl eyed me suspiciously. "Ain't seen no kids around here for a while. You don't look like someone who can take on three grown men."

I merely grunted, rocking back and forth on my heels. Earl wasn't much of a talker, I quickly found out. But a question kept nagging me, one I had forgotten to ask Tommy. "You know a girl named Ellie?" I queried after an immeasurable silence.

Earl pursed his lips, stretching his wrinkled face. "Ellie? You mean Joel's kid? Yeah, I've seen her once or twice. She's up in town, I suppose, 'cause she ain't down here."

"And this town…where is it?" I tried to sound as innocent as possible. It didn't work.

Earl chuckled mirthlessly. "Like I'd give that information to a prisoner…why do want know about Ellie, anyway?"

"I'm kinda her boyfriend." I replied casually. Earl skeptically looked me up and down, raising a furry, gray eyebrow.

"What did you say your name was?"

"Aaron."

Earl fell silent, his face a mask of concentration. I waited, gazing out at the forest beyond the gate. _They're probably looking for us…Tommy won't know what hit him; Nigel will tear this place apart. _I thought eagerly. I was itching for a good fight.

"Nope, can't say she mentioned any kid named Aaron. Then again, you're better off asking Tommy or Maria, not me. Don't know her or Joel very well." Earl finally replied.

I bit back a frustrated groan. I would just have to be patient.

By the time Tommy came back, I had to be rudely nudged awake three times by the butt of Earl's rifle. My feet prickled with soreness from standing for so long, and I estimated we had about two or three hours of daylight left. I was happy to get on a horse and canter away from that God-forsaken dam. I was in a crappy mood, my stomach was trying to eat itself, and sometimes I couldn't think straight.

Tommy didn't speak a word to me on our way back. We took an overgrown road that led into the forest as pavement became dirt, which became moss and tree roots. When we got to the top of a hill, I saw a tiny sprawl of cottages encased in another concrete wall. People milled about in the late afternoon, and the floodlights were already on.

"You guys have electricity?" I cocked my head, wondering where it came from. I remembered the dam, but how they converted water into light and heat was beyond me.

Tommy merely nodded, urging his horse forward as he descended the hill. I followed, my eyes glued to the town in the middle of the forest. They had somehow carved out a place here among all the carnage and suffering…

"Did Ellie say anything about me?" I couldn't help asking, and fortunately the question got Tommy's attention.

"She hasn't really been saying much about anything. I guess it's the culture shock, but Joel says she keeps hanging around by the gate a lot. Joel told me about you, how that son of a bitch Taylor treated you. He still around?" The sandy-haired man asked, dismounting his horse before he entered the town.

I shook my head, swallowing the bitter taste in my mouth. "He's dead." I muttered. After a short pause I asked, "Can I see Ellie?" My voice sounded too eager to my ears.

Tommy chuckled as I dismounted, and he handed our horses' reins to some blond kid, who led them off down a side street. "You're my prisoner, remember? You do what I say when I say it. Right now, I'm saying no. I'll show you to your new room, your friend is already there."

"What about Charlotte? Is she…?" I trailed off, letting the sentence hang.

"I'll let them tell you. Here, you'll be sleeping in the cellar." Tommy led me into what was probably an old diner, but the sign was missing and the tables were empty. I was led down into the basement, where it was cold, dank, and dark. There were no windows. Once my eyes adjusted I could make out a few metal shelves against the wall, and Quinn sitting forlornly beside them. Otherwise, it was just another large, concrete box.

"I'll be back with food and water, and you'll get your punishment at sunset. If they decide they want you dead, I'll let you see Ellie then." Tommy explained, climbing the creaking, wooden staircase.

I glanced back at Quinn. Upon closer inspection, I noticed he had a bruise on his left cheek where there wasn't one before. "What happened? Where's Char?" I queried, my voice soft and as non-threatening as I could make it.

"She's in the infirmary. They…did a test. She's pregnant, Aaron. God, why did it have to be now?" Quinn moaned, resting his forehead on his kneecaps. It was as if Charlotte had been diagnosed with a fatal disease, and there was nothing he could do to save her from it.

I cautiously sat down beside him, putting an awkward hand on his shoulder. I was no good at comforting people. "It's not all bad. She doesn't get Tommy's punishment, right?"

Quinn minutely nodded. "No, but they want her to stay here. What about Ricky, Nigel, and the rest of the group? I can't go back to them now. And if they decide to kill us, my kid will grow up without a father. Not that I'm ready to be one…"

"You'll be a good dad, don't worry about it. And if you die, Ricky can always take your place." I elbowed him, which got a brief, weak chuckle out of him.

Tommy came back with water and two cans of pineapples, watching us eat and drink so he could "make sure we didn't stash anything". Then he left, locking the basement door behind him and leaving us in the dark.

An anxious silence came over us as we waited for our fate. Quinn never picked his head up from where his chin rested on his knees, staring off into the gloom of the basement. My thoughts drifted from what Ellie was doing, to what kinds of things Tommy's people would demand, and then back to Ellie again. I'll admit I was a bit jealous of Quinn. He had a stable girlfriend, they almost never fought, and he would never abandon her when things got tough.

I wasn't even sure I could fully trust Ellie.

After what seemed like an eternity, the stairs creaked ominously again in the silence of the basement. Tommy came down, his face a mask of indifference. The fading light from the world above cast a golden outline around him, like he was the Angel of Death himself.

"Well?" I asked, "Do we live or do we die?"

Tommy pushed his mop of hair back, letting out a long breath. "They decided on a public whipping. 25 lashes. C'mon, get up. Let's get this over with." He sounded tired, as if he was too old for things like this.

I cocked my head. "You sound disappointed. Why don't they want us killed?"

"Mostly 'cause you're young. The women don't like seeing young people killed. You have them to thank." Tommy said gruffly, herding me and Quinn up the stairs. At times like this, I could actually see his relation to Joel. They both had a clipped tone and got short-tempered when they were stressed or angry.

Children gawked at us as we passed, mostly they were Alice's age. It's like they had never seen prisoners before, like we were a curiosity. Adults glared at us with scorn and disgust, which I expected. The guys we killed must have been _really _important to the town, or at least well-known. I kept an eye out for Ellie, looking for a flash of red hair among the crowd, but it was futile. I didn't see her. I hoped she wasn't watching, because I felt pretty pathetic right about now.

The townspeople were gathered in a large space amid the rows of cottages, sort of a dirt square. They left an area in the middle empty, and two stone-faced men with bull whips were waiting for us. Fear trickled down my back as Quinn and I were ordered to take our shirts off, and Tommy bound our hands with rope.

"Try not to scream too loud. There are people younger than you present." Tommy murmured to us, before roughly shoving us into the empty space. My hands were tied in front, so I was able to somewhat break my fall. I stayed on my knees because there was nothing else I could do. Quinn's face was locked in a snarl, and I assumed he was trying to look strong for Charlotte, but I didn't see her in the crowd.

"These two boys killed John, Randy, and Arnold yesterday! Shot them like dogs! They need to pay!" Tommy addressed the crowd, which responded with hisses and jeers. I felt my cheeks grow hot. I wasn't used to being publically humiliated.

"25 lashes each as payment for their crimes against this town! When you're ready, boys." Tommy turned to the two men with bull whips, who nodded gravely. I guessed they didn't do this kind of thing very often.

I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the pain, the agony, the blood. My instincts were screaming at me to run, not to subject my body to torture. Fear coursed through me, and a low hiss escaped my lips as I fought hard against the almost overwhelming urge to get up and bolt. I heard a whip crack, splitting the air, and I instinctively flinched at the sound. A laugh rippled through the crowd.

Then I heard another crack, but not from a whip. I recognized the sound easily. It was a gunshot. Then more came, and the laughing turned into screams of terror. I felt the ground vibrate before I heard the horse hooves thundering down the street.

The Cavalry was here.

People fled to their houses, chaos ensued around me as everyone tried to avoid the oncoming charge. Somebody fell to the ground a few feet away, a gaping hole in their head. I felt my arms being jerked forward, and the rope binding my hands loosened. A horse galloped by, too close, and I heard a sickening crunch as it collided with an unfortunate townsperson.

I glanced up to see who had freed me and green eyes stared back, bright with adrenaline. Copper hair floated around her face in the horse's wake.

Then my hands were free, and the frightened animal inside me took control.


End file.
